Don't Miss
by romantic.dreamer26
Summary: A midnight visit from a certain redhead leads to all kinds of drama. First fic! Please review! xoxo
1. Chapter 1

Hermione woke suddenly from a very fitful sleep. She'd had a feeling all the previous day that something bad was going to happen and she had gone to bed with a very terrible and inexplicable feeling of dread. For a moment, she wondered if maybe this fear had accumulated during her sleep until her unconscious mind could take no more and she had awoken.

However, a rapid tapping on her window knocked this thought from her mind as it had her from her bed. Landing with a thud as her back hit the ground, she let out a terrified gasp. Deciding to stay where she was in case the tapper hadn't seen her, she tried to gather her thoughts. Someone was knocking on her window. That, in itself, was a touch out of the ordinary, as her bedroom was on the second floor. _It was just a bird, trying to get the bugs off the glass or something, _she tried to reasssure herself. But what kind of birds would be about at this time of night? The only ones she could think of that would be active were owls, but they didn't eat bugs off windows. _Maybe it's Hedwig or Pig delivering a letter from Harry or Ron._ She stayed crouched by her bed, still too afraid to move, or even breathe. Just as she thought that maybe the sounds had stopped for good, the tapping came again, this time accompanied with a hushed whisper.

"Hermione? Hermione, open up!" She gasped and tried to drop lower to the ground. "Ok, I'm fairly certain that owls can't talk!" she whispered to herself. Suddenly, it struck her how ridiculous this situation was. She was only being this overreactive because of her bad feeling. The knocking came again, followed by another whisper. "Hermione! I'm sorry I made you fall off your bed but this is important!" Her fear was fading, allowing her to recognise the voice that, at first, was unfamiliar. She sat up quickly, staring at the silhouette at her window. Her heart was still thudding, this time with a different kind of fear. Climbing over her bed as fast as she could, turning on her bedside lamp as she went, she threw her window open. "Ron?" she asked, perfectly aware that it was him but wanting to make sure, all the same. Ron's face emerged from the darkness, his expression almost stopping Hermione's heart. "Ron, what's wrong?" she asked slowly, dreading his answer. "Hermione," groaned Ron, his face sweating with anxiety. "Hermione, he's gone."

Ron carefully climbed through the window, making as little noise as possible. Hermione watched him without really seeing. Ron stood in front of her, his hand held out, clutching a letter. Without a word, she took it. Unfolding it, she tried to brace herself. Taking a deep breath, she looked down at the piece of parchment before her and began to read.

_Dear Ron,_

_I didn't want to it this way but I didn't see any other option. I"m basically writing this letter to tell you that you don't need to worry about helping me find the Horcruxes. I've thought about it, long and hard, and I've decided that I don't want you and Hermione to risk your lives for me._

_I know you guys said that you were with me no matter what. It means more to me than you could ever know, but I don't want anyone else dying for me. I've already lost Sirius and Dumbledore. If I lose you guys, I'll have no one. _

_I know you guys too well and so I have to ask you not to try and follow me. I asked Hedwig to wait a few days before she delivered this so that by the time you read it, I'd be well on my way. In fact, by the time you read this I could be dead. That was a joke so don't panic. I'll be fine. I just don't want to have you both put at risk. Tell Ginny that this way, we'll be ok. She'll know what you're talking about. _

_Love to Hermione and your family,_

_Harry._

As Hermione read the last paragraph, she laughed briefly at Harry's joke but her smile soon faded and tears began to sting her eyes as she continued. She finished reading and carefully folded the letter, holding it out to Ron. "What now, then?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady, ignoring the way her breath was hitching in her throat. Ron was still watching her, almost cautiously. She met his eyes with a determined look. Cocking an eyebrow slightly, he shook his head. "I don't know what we should do. I know what I _want _to do, but I don't know how we'll find him." he finished, sighing. Hermione nodded, letting her gaze fall to the floor and immediately regretting it as her tears spilled down her cheeks.

Hastily, she wiped her eyes, hoping Ron hadn't seen but knowing he had. He hated it when she cried. Usually, Harry was there and he always did the comforting thing. The thing that made him _more _uncomfortable was that it was usually him that made her cry. Awkwardly, he reached out and placed his hand on her arm. She sniffed and looked up at him. He sighed and pulled her closer, putting his other arm around her back. Hermione had been struggling to keep her tears in check and had been prevailing. But when Ron, of all people, pulled her into a hug, her resolve crumbled. It drove home just how serious the situation was. The only time she could remember him hugging her was at Dumbledore's funeral. He usually just got awkward and let Harry deal with it. She always thought it was kind of funny. Now, though, here she was, bundled up against his chest, sobbing her little heart out.

He rubbed her back gently as he rocked slightly from side to side. "Sh. We'll find him. Even if we don't, he'll be fine." Ron murmured softly. Hermione sniffed and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to rid herself of her tears. "But what if we never see him again? What if Voldemort-" but she couldn't say anymore. Instead, a fresh wave of tears rolled over her and she pressed herself as close as she could to Ron. He heaved a sigh and pulled away, grasping her arms. "Hermione. Harry will be fine. He's escaped from Voldemort six times and each time, he was younger than he is now. Yes, I know he can only do so much without my incredible strength and intelligence," he paused, waiting for a faint smile, but more than happy with the half-laugh, half-sob that he got, "but he can defend himself. He will be fine." he stated firmly. Hermione nodded and smiled. "So how did you get here, anyway?" she asked.


	2. Chapter 2

Ron wasn't really sure how to answer that question as he wasn't entirely sure himself. He'd just known that he had to tell her about Harry and he just knew where to go. "I don't really know. Well, I know _how _I got here. I got here on my broom. I don't know how I knew_ where _to go though. I just did." he finished, looking utterly confused. Hermione found herself grinning at how cute he looked at that moment. _Where did that come from? _she wondered, now also completely confuzzled. "You ok?" Ron asked, noticing her bewildered expression. Hermione smiled quickly and nodded.

"So, are you ready to go?" Ron asked, getting to his feet. Hermione looked up at him confusedly. "Ready to go? Where?" she questioned. He looked at her for a second before answering. "To go and find Harry!" he stated as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. Jumping to her feet, Hermione began packing with incredible speed. Within five minutes, she was dressed and almost ready. Tiptoeing to the door, she opened it quietly and was about to walk out when Ron grabbed her arm. "Where are you going?" he asked. "My broom's outside your window!" She nodded, before gently pulling her arm from his grasp. "I can't leave without telling my parents." she whispered back. Ron nodded and went to walk back to the window to wait for her return. After a moment's pause, she turned back to him. "Want to meet them?" she asked hesitantly. "Only, it'll make them less nervous if they know that I'm going with someone with such incredible strength and intelligence," she added mockingly. Ron grinned and followed her down the hall.

In what seemed like no time, Hermione had her arms around Ron's waist, holding on for dear life as they flew back to The Burrow. Hermione had introduced Ron properly to her parents, explained the situation and spent an hour trying to reassure them that she'd be ok. Before she knew it, they were descending and her feet were skimming the grass in Ron's backyard. When they'd come to a complete stop, Hermione finally broke her deathgrip on Ron and dismounted the broom.

A shriek cut through the silent night and Mrs. Weasley came running across the lawn. "Oh, Ron! What on earth were you thinking!? You can't just disappear in the middle of the night without telling me where you're going!" Ron opened his mouth to defend himself but Mrs. Weasely held up a hand. "No, Ron. A note saying 'Gone to get Hermione' is not an explaination!" she snapped. She turned and looked Hermione over, who was hovering awkwardly to one side. She always got a bit nervous when Ron or his brothers were getting in trouble. "Hermione! How are you, dear?" she beamed, grasping Hermione's hands. "Oh! You're cold as ice! Come on inside for some hot chocolate." She shot Ron a glare and lead Hermione inside, Ron trudging after them.

Once they got inside, Ron pulled out the letter and handed it to his mother. "Here's your explaination." he muttered, turning and walking out of the kitchen. Hermione watched him go with a mixture of disappointment and shock. She was surprised at the way he'd given his mother the news of Harry's leaving and a bit hurt that he'd left her without a word. Thankfully, Mrs. Weasley decided to get Hermione settled before she read the letter. "Come upstairs and we'll get you all set up." she said kindly, gently guiding Hermione upstairs.

When they reached the landing of Ginny's room, Hermione automatically turned toward her door, but Mrs. Weasley stopped her. "Oh no, dear. I'm afraid Ginny's a little under the weather. Wouldn't want you catching anything." Sighing, she looked at the ceiling. "I'd set you up in Fred and George's old room, but goodness knows what's in there. No, I guess you'll just have to bunk in Ron's room. Will that be ok, dear? It'll only be for tonight. Tomorrow we'll sort it out." she smiled. Hermione nodded and followed her up to Ron's room.

Knocking on the door and getting a grunt in response, Mrs. Weasley opened the door and put Hermione's bag next to the doorway. "I'll just go and get your bed, dear." she said softly, turning and pulling the door to. Ron was, lying on the bed, arms under his head, looking at Hermione in surprise. "I guess we're roomies." she stated, smiling at him. Ron cocked an eyebrow, still shocked. Leaning back against his pillows, he shrugged. "Maybe I don't want to share my room." he said nonchalantly. Hermione also shrugged. "Well then, maybe I'll leave it up to you to tell your mum." she replied. "Tell me what?" panted Mrs. Weasley, pushing open the door and pulling behind her a camp bed. Hermione looked back at Ron, a challenging grin on her face. He glared back at her before rolling his eyes. "Nothing." he muttered. Mrs. Weasley studied her youngest son for a second before heaving a sigh. "Well, if it's nothing, could you help me with this thing please?" she asked, apparently no longer angry at him. Groaning, Ron got to his feet and helped set up the camp bed. Soon it was next to Ron's, ready to be slept in and Mrs. Weasley bade them both goodnight. "Oh, and no more sneaking off." she added at the door, winking at them before shutting it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Ok, so. Totally just realised (that's right. Realised. With an 's'. Coz I'm Australian. That's how it goes down Down Under.) that I have not, in fact, had a disclaimer or any of that jazz. So here I am, disclaim..er...ing... disclaiming? away. I own nothing. Except for Hermione falling off the bed and anything else that happens that you don't recall reading in any of JK's fabulous bookies. Like cookies, but with a 'b'. Coz I'm Australian. And that's...not how most people do things here but I do. So whatever. Also, thank you so much for the reviews! I wrote this long before DH, so forgive the totally non-DH storyline. I only now got around to putting it up here. I've been too scared to, I think. Anyway, this chapter's poo on a stick...with punkin. (I don't like pumpkin. It just sounds...gross. PUMPkin. Ew!! Inbred! So punkin it is.) Anyway, I hope you like the poo-on-a-stick-with-punkin chapter!! XOXO**

Ron walked back to his bed and flopped down onto the mattress, all of a sudden awkward. Hermione stood looking at the camp bed simply so she wouldn't have to look at Ron. They'd been alone together loads of times but this time it was different. Usually, they'd be waiting for someone to join them, namely Harry. "So," Ron began awkwardly. "Do you want to sleep or do you want to talk or..." he trailed off, not knowing what else they could do.

Hermione glanced up at him, shrugging before returning her gaze to the bed. "Up to you. It's your house." she replied quietly. "But you're the guest." Ron countered. Hermione glanced up again, frowning at the satisfied smirk on his face. "And just what are you grinning at?" Hermione demanded, trying not to smile. Raising his eyebrows in false innocence, Ron laid back on his pillows, arms behind his head again. "Oh, nothing." he said lightly. Hermione rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips. "Close your eyes." she sighed. Ron looked at her with a mixture of confusion and suspicion. "Why?" he asked wearily. Hermione sighed again. "I need to get changed, Ronald. I'm not sleeping in this." she said, gesturing to the jeans and jacket that she was wearing.

Ron nodded and pulled a pillow over his face, mainly to try and hide the disappointment there. He'd wanted to talk to her about the whole finding-Harry thing. But apparently, she wanted to sleep. _I shouldn't have let her choose. I should've insisted that we talk. _"Ok, I'm done." Ron removed the pillow and looked at Hermione, who sat on the camp bed, her feet tucked under the covers for warmth. _Well, that's a good sign. Wouldn't she be in bed if she wanted to sleep? And since when does Hermione Granger ever pass up a chance to demonstrate her profound intelligence? _"So, what do you want to talk about?" she asked, propping her pillows up against the wall and leaning into them. Ron took a deep breath and tried to ready himself for the fight he knew was on its way.

"Well, I want, well, I don't _want_ to, I need to talk to you about why you're here." he answered, afraid to look at her but knowing he had to. There was a very suspicious look on her face, and a little bit of anger. "And why _am _I here, Ronald Weasley?" she demanded. Ron winced as she said his name. She only ever said it like that when she was furious at him. Right now, though, he didn't quite feel that she had a right to be, especially as she didn't know what the situation was. "Don't take that tone, Hermione. You don't have a right to be angry yet. You don't even know the whole story!" he snapped. "Which is why I'm angry! You lied to me! Well, you certainly didn't tell me the whole truth!" she added, noting the look of outrage on Ron's face. "No, I didn't because I wanted to get you somewhere safe first!" he retorted, immediately regretting it as Hermione's expression turned fearful.

"Somewhere safe? My house isn't safe?" she asked quietly. Ron sighed and shook his head. "Before you say anything, though," he added hastily, as Hermione had been about to say something and he had a feeling he knew what it was, "your parents will be fine. Some of the Order have gone to get them out now." Hermione looked confused and scared. "Why isn't my house safe, Ron?" she asked slowly, afraid to hear the answer. Ron just looked at her hopelessly. "He found out where you live. He was going to come and get you to use against Harry." Hermione stared back at him, shocked. "How do you know?" she whispered. A look of utter hatred crossed Ron's face and Hermione knew right away.

"Snape?" she asked incredulously. "But how? Why?" Ron shook his head. "He found out where we'd moved headquarters to. He came and he was terrified. When Lupin asked him what he thought he was doing, he said he was doing what had to be done." Ron paused, looking at Hermione who was watching him with fearful curiosity. "Then what?" she prodded. Ron took a deep breath, as though he didn't want to carry on but knew he had to. "Said that Voldemort had found out where you lived and was planning to use you against Harry." Hermione shook her head in confusion. "Wait, I don't understand. Why would he think that I'd ever work with him _against _Harry? That's just stupid."

Ron held up his hand to stop her. "Not to use you against Harry, as such. To use you to _get _to Harry. You know, kind of lure him out." Hermione nodded slightly then shook her head again. "But why me?" she asked. Ron looked at her in surprise. "Think about it, Hermione." Hermione stared at her hands, thinking deeply. "Because I'm smart?" she asked timidly. Ron stared at her, the dumbfounded look on his face telling her that that wasn't the reason. "Oh!" she gasped. "Because I'm his best friend! But, why not you? You're his best friend too." Ron was still staring at her in bewilderment. Rubbing his forehead in frustration, he heaved a sigh, preparing himself to say the one thing he really didn't want to say. "Hermione, if Voldemort knows, you seriously think I don't? I'm not as stupid as everyone seems to think I am!" he snapped. Hermione frowned, slightly hurt. "Ron, what are you talking about?" she asked in shock.

"Hermione, don't play dumb. We both know you're not." Hermione was still looking utterly confused. This made Ron madder than he could have thought possible. "Come on, Hermione! It's because he loves you!"

**:o Oh no...he...didn't!! Pretty poo, huh? Eh, what can I say? What's Hermione gonna say!? Or do...? R&R!!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Ok, this chapter's pretty poo as well. Hopefully, y'all won't think it's too bad. Again, thanks for the reviews! XOXO**

Silence follwed this statement. Hermione was looking at Ron in shock. He was looking at her with a mixture of hurt and anger. She felt something rising in her throat. Unsure of what it was, she tried to keep it down but it was too strong. She opened her mouth and a giggle escaped.

Her eyes widened as she slapped a hand over her mouth. Ron's frown tripled. "You think it's funny?" he demanded. Hermione shook her head quickly, but her watering eyes and shaking shoulders betrayed her. Removing her hand, she bit her lip, trying to keep the giggles in. Taking a few deep breaths, Hermione blinked a couple of times to get rid of the tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Ron. But that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. I don't love Harry! As a friend, sure. But othrwise, that's just gross. Besides, he loves Ginny." Ron's frown lessened slightly.

Now it was his turn to look confused. "But I've seen you!" he began. When Hermione's expression changed from incredulous to confused, he added. "I've seen those stupid grins you get sometimes, at breakfast and stuff." Hermione shook her head. "Don't get me wrong, I'm in love with someone," she said, blushing slightly, "but not him." Ron looked at her with a mixture of confusion and suspicion. "But Snape-" he started, unsure how to continue.

"Maybe Snape didn't mean it like that." Hermione suggested. Then a look of fear crossed her face. "Maybe he knew you'd come and get me. Maybe he planned this whole thing to get us together." she gasped. Now it was Ron's turn to be confused. "But why?" he asked. "Oh! To make us easier to capture, Ron!" she wailed, slapping her hands over her face. "If he had both of us, Harry would _have _to come. He left to keep us out of danger, but he only put us in more!" she cried, trying not to let the tears form but failing.

Ron quickly got up and sat down next to Hermione, pulling her hands away from her face. "Well, he's just going to have to do without, isn't he?" he said calmly. Hermione looked at him, puzzled. "Well, I'm not going down without a fight and I doubt any of the Order will let him touch you." he stated reassuringly. Hermione sniffed and nodded. "Good, now that that's sorted, I'm going to bed." He sat back on his own bed and lay back against his pillows. Hermione smiled and wriggled under the covers of the camp bed. "'Night Ron." she whispered. A grunt was the only response she got. Grinning, she fell asleep much faster than she would have expected.

Hermione looked down at the gown she was wearing. It was beautiful. Black with diamonds and pearls sewn into the fabric, it hugged her figure to the hips and from there, fell gracefully to the floor. Looking around at her surroundings, she realised she was in the Great Hall, all decked out in silver. Someone stood in front of her and she looked to their face.

It was Viktor Krum. Bowing low, he asked her to dance. Smiling, she reached out her hand to acccept his invitation. Suddenly, something in his face changed. It was only for a second, but it was long enough to scare the life out of her. For that second, she'd been sure that his eyes were suddenly Malfoy's. She went to retract her hand but Viktor seized her wrist in a vice-like grip. She began to struggle, calling out for help but no one seemed to notice her.

Fearfully glancing at Viktor, she saw his satisfied and triumphant sneer as he pulled her closer. Suddenly, she was released as a fist smacked into the side of Viktor's head, sending it flying. In its place was Malfoy's pale, shocked face. She felt herself being pulled away from him and when she looked behind her, she saw Ron's face twisted into a ferocious snarl.

Looking back at Malfoy, Hermione felt Ron take her hand and lead her away. Once they were at a safe distance, they stopped. "It's ok, Hermione. You're safe now." Ron said reassuringly. Hermione shook her head, glancing up at him. "How do you know?" she asked softly. "Because you're with me. I won't let anything happen to you. I promise." he replied, smiling and placing his hand on her cheek. She smiled back and placed her hand over his.

Suddenly, she felt herself tipping backwards. She tried to lean forward but she was completely disoriented and she couldn't regain her balance. Reaching out for Ron, she tried desperately to stay upright. He just looked at her hands and smiled sadly. Confused, she felt herself falling and with a painful thud, she was brought back to consciousness.

** Not quite sure whether I like the dream bit but, I figured that something like that was in order. Not sure why yet. Anyway, R&R!! XOXO**


	5. Chapter 5

**Holy craznatch! Chapter 5 already! As always, thanks for the reviews. I always smile when Hermione has her second mishap. The mental image I saw when I wrote that was gold. Anyway, ENJOY!! XOXO**

Ron was woken by a bang. He was up like a shot, looking around for the source of the noise. Glancing at Hermione's bed to see if it had woken her too, he was startled to find it empty. The sheets were tangled and the pillow was gone. "Hermione?" he called in alarm.

A muffled groan by his bed was the response. Puzzled, he peered over the edge of his bed. There in a confused pile, was Hermione, the pillow over her head. Sitting up, the pillow falling to expose her red face, Hermione looked up at Ron, who was barely concealing a grin. "Oh, shut up!" she growled, rubbing the back of her head. Pulling herself back onto her bed and crossing her legs, she glared at Ron. "You scared me." he sighed, rubbing his chest. "Oh, well I'm sorry. That's just, you know, how I like to wake up. Falling out of bed and hitting my head. It's the best way to start the day, with a headache." she snapped sarcastically.

Ron tried to keep the laugh in and very nearly won, until Hermione leaned forward to grab her pillow, lost her balance and fell again. With a frustrated scream, Hermione sat up and punched him in the arm. "Ow! What was that for!?" exclaimed Ron, rubbing his arm. "For laughing at me!" Hermione cried. Ron rolled his eyes, knowing full well that Hermione would've done the same had it been him in her position. This time pulling her pillow up with her, Hermione flopped angrily onto the bed, pulled the covers over her, and rolled over, her back to Ron.

Cocking an eyebrow, Ron stood and deliberately bumped her bed rather hard on his way to his closet. "No use trying to get back to sleep, Hermione. We've slept late as it is. It's almost dinnertime" he called over his shoulder, grinning as she moaned in protest. Quickly grabbing a pair of jeans and a shirt, he turned to make sure she wasn't looking and got dressed. Opening the door, he glanced back over his shoulder. Seeing that she still hadn't moved, he sighed impatiently. "Come on. Ginny will want to know you're here." he said, shutting the door behind him.

He stood at the closed door for a few seconds, listening with a grin as he heard Hermione jump out of bed and start dressing at top speed. Shaking his head, he made his way down stairs.

Hermione quickly threw on some jeans and a shirt and made her way downstairs too. She was eager to see Ginny as she had to talk to her about her strange dream. Finally reaching the bottom of the stairs, she was startled to find the kitchen full of people.

Mrs. Weasley stood with a fearful look on her face, beside the stove. Mr. Weasley, Tonks, Mad-Eye, Lupin, Bill, Fred and George and Ginny were all crowded around the table. They all looked up when Hermione entered but no one said anything. Hermione noticed that on Ginny's cheeks were drying tears. Lupin stepped forward, trying to look cheerful. "Hello Hermione. How are you?" he asked quietly, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Taking a step back, Hermione looked around at everyone. They all seemed to be averting their gaze. "What's going on?" she asked, suddenly terrified. Lupin took another step forward. "Hermione, I'm afraid we've got some bad news." he said gently.

**Uh-oh spaghetti-Os!! What's happened!?!? Only I know...so far! Please R&R!!**


	6. Chapter 6

**As ever, I own nothing, thanks for the reviews and I apologise to anyone who thinks this is poo. Personally, if I were reading it from an outsider's position, I'd keep reading. I dunno, just me maybe. Anyway, on with the story!! Enjoy!**

Hermione stared at the floor, before determinedly meeting Lupin's eyes. "Oh?" she said, trying to sound brave. "Maybe you should have a seat, dear." Mrs. Weasley suggested from her place by the stove. Hermione glanced at her and shook her head. "Thank you, Mrs. Weasley, but I'll stand." she smiled, trying to ignore the pained expression on Mrs. Weasley's face. "Well, if you'd prefer." said Lupin.

"Hermione, as Ron will have told you, we recently received some information about Lord Voldemort's plans. We have been informed that he plans to use you to draw Harry out." Hermione nodded, curious to see where all this was going, but dreading it at the same time. Lupin glanced at Mad-Eye, who nodded shortly, before returning his gaze to Hermione. "Also, as Ron will have told you, we were to go to your house once you had been brought here, to collect your parents and take them to Headquarters, where they'd be safe." Hermione noticed that Mrs. Weasley quickly turned to face the stove as Lupin said this. "They weren't there, were they?" she whispered. Lupin sighed and placed his hand on her shoulder again. "Hermione, I promise you, we'll find them." he stated softly, squeezing her shoulder lightly. Hermione nodded, smiling. "I know." she replied.

She turned to Mrs. Weasley, who was still trying to busy herself with the stove. "Mrs. Weasley, where's Ron?" she asked, trying with all her might to control the tremble in her voice. "He went for a walk, dear." Hermione nodded and began to walk to the back door. "Actually, it'd probably be better if you stayed inside for now." Mad-Eye growled. Hermione glanced at him, before looking at the floor again. "She'll be fine. We can still keep an eye on her if she's out there." Lupin countered. Hermione smiled at him gratefully before opening the door and stepping out into the garden.

Once she was outside, Hermione felt her eyes beginning to burn. She didn't want to cry. She wanted to convince herself that they _would _find her parents. They had to. Hermione began to walk around the large backyard, thinking about where her parents might be. She knew they were still alive. Voldemort couldn't use them against her if they were dead. That helped to lessen the pain a little. But only a little, because that meant that wherever they were, there was a good chance that they were suffering.

Shaking her head to rid herself of this thought, she gazed around the garden. It was beautiful. The sun was shining, not brightly enough to be glaring, but just enough to light all the dust motes and tiny little insects that flitted here and there over the grass. She took a deep breath of the fresh air, not expecting it to calm her as much as it did. She made her way over to a large oak and sat down at its base. Sighing, she placed her arms on her knees, resting her head on her hands. She heard a gasp from the other side of the tree. Surprised, she leaned slowly around the side of the trunk, coming face-to-face with Ron.

Startled, she let out a small shriek and fell backwards. Ron jumped to his feet and helped her up. "Sorry. I didn't realise you were there." Hermione panted, trying to slow her racing heartbeat. "So, what are you doing out here?" she asked, dusting off the back of her pants, looking out over the garden. "Just thinking, really." he replied quietly. He studied her face, trying to determine what she was thinking in regards to her parents. She nodded, glancing back at him. "Are you ok, Ron?" she asked concernedly. Ron nodded, sighing. Hermione cocked an eyebrow. "Well, _that _was believable." she exclaimed sarcastically, crossing her arms.

"I just feel bad." he muttered, staring at the ground. "Why?" asked Hermione, bewildered. "Because, I should've brought your parents when I came and got you. I should've told you the truth then." he sighed, shaking his head, "Don't be ridiculous, Ron! A, how would you have got them back here? You only had one broom. It wouldn't have carried all of us!" she said gently.

"And b?" he asked meekly, glancing up at her. Seeing the confused look on her face, he continued. "You said 'a' so I'm just assuming that there was a 'b' to follow." Comprehension dawning on her face, Hermione nodded. "And b," she continued, " if you had told me the truth at my house, do you honestly think I would've left, knowing that my parents were in danger?" Ron shook his head, feeling better. She wasn't angry, she didn't blame him for her parents' capture.

"So, how are you?" he asked, surprised that he just now thought to inquire as to her wellbeing. Nodding slowly, Hermione smiled at him. "I'm good, considering. I know that we'll find them." she said confidently. Ron was astounded by how positive she was being. A sudden loud crack sounded behind them and they spun around, Ron unconsciously stepping in front of Hermione. Hermione's fear turned to relief and her grip on the back of Ron's jumper loosened when she saw who was standing before them. It was Fred and George and they were positively beaming.

"Found 'em!"

**WOOT!! Gotta love Fred and George! If I ever have twins I want them to be like our favorite identical Weasleys! I don't know, maybe it's just James and Oliver Phelps that you gotta love. Anyway, R&R! XOXO**


	7. Chapter 7

**Ok, so sorry about the delay updating!! I was all like, "can't be assed" then thought, "How annoyed do I get when my faves don't get updated for yonks!?" I apologise deeply. Hopefully, this chapter won't be too poo. Once again, thanks to my fabulous reviewers! You taste like sunshine dust! (Don't get it? Watch Salad Fingers on YouTube. Still don't get it? Join the club. That cartoon makes absolutely no sense! Positively petrifying, love it to pieces, but makes no sense!) Anyway, again. Sorry if it's craptacular!**

Hermione could hardly believe her ears. "W-what? How?" she asked, a sudden wave of relief washing over her. Vision swimming, she tried to make her knees steady. Vaguely, she was aware of the look of concern cross the twins' faces and Ron's steadying grip on her arm. Her vision cleared and so did Fred and George's expressions. "Well," started Fred, with an embarrassed grin. "we may have jumped the gun a bit." finished George. Hermione glanced from one to the other, waiting for them to elaborate. After getting a reassuring nod from George, Fred continued. "You see, He never really..._had _them." He paused, face scrunched up in anticipation of the blast of abuse that he was sure to come. Hermione was too shocked and relieved to do anything but stare, open-mouthed, at the twins.

When he wasn't blasted to pieces, which he was thoroughly surprised by, Fred heaved a sigh of relief and continued. "You see, they'd decided to go out for dinner and, well. The Order just happened to get there after they'd left." he paused, before adding with an apologetic cock of his eyebrow, "Our bad?" Hermione smiled and sighed deeply. "So where are they now?" she asked, the sun all of a sudden seeming a lot brighter, and the garden, all of a sudden so much more beautiful. George checked his watch, a look of deep concentration on his face.

"Right now, they're...in the kitchen." He grinned broadly and he and Fred vanished with a _crack. _Hermione smiled and turned to look at Ron. Suddenly, they were both awkwardly aware of Ron's firm, but gentle grip on her arm. With a slight start, he hastily pulled his hand away and shoved both of them in his pockets. "So..." he began, not sure of what to say and suddenly inexplicably nervous. "Wanna go and see your parents?" Hermione, who's smile had faltered slightly when Ron's hand had relinquished its hold on her arm, hitched it up again and nodded.

When they entered the kitchen, Hermione let out a relieved half-laugh, half-sob and flung herself at her parents. "Hermione! We're fine! Honestly, darling." her mother laughed, pulling herself gently from her daughter's death grip. Glancing up at her mother, eyes brimming with tears, Hermione nodded. "I know. It's just... I was so worried!" she sobbed, burying her head in her father's chest. He held her close, stroking her back and comforting her with soft words, the way only fathers can. Mrs. Weasley, who had been watching their reunion with a teary grin, cleared her throat and rubbed her hands together.

"Right!" she sighed briskly. "This calls for a feast!" Ron snickered at his mother as she began pulling out dishes of all sizes and began preparing. "That's Mum," he sighed affectionately. "Anything out of the ordinary and she has to cook enough to feed an army." Hermione shot him a disapproving look, before smiling resignedly as she realised that he was right. Mrs. Granger had joined Mrs. Weasley in cooking and Mr. Granger was nowhere to be seen. For a moment, Hermione felt hot panic rising in her throat. Ron noticed the look on her face and nudged her.

"Don't worry. Dad's just taken him out to the shed to show him all his Muggle things so your dad can explain them all to him." he said, slightly embarrassed by his father's untamed fascination by all things non-magical. Hermione noticed the blush starting to spread across Ron's face and was suddenly struck by how adorable he looked. Slightly shocked by this new development, she quickly looked over to where their mothers were bustling about the kitchen, chatting like old friends. Seeing how busy they were brought to light just how tired she was.

She felt a yawn coming and tried to hide it by pretending to rub the side of her face. "I saw that." Ron stated amusedly. Hermione glanced guiltily at him, her eyes watering. "Saw what?" she replied, trying and failing to appear innocent. Ron shook his head and began to head upstairs. When he reached the foot of the stairs, he turned and looked back at her. "Come on!" he said, nodding towards the stairs. Nodding, Hermione began to follow.

**YAY!! Happy Ron! The best kind! Sad or angry Ron tastes like soot and poo! (Again, refer to Salad Fingers. Same episode, in fact!! Episode 2 I believe. "I like it when the red water comes out!") Anyway, I hope you like it! Drama to come in the next chapter!! OOH!!! R&R!! XOXO**


	8. Chapter 8

**Woo! It's really coming along hey? Well, seeing as how I've got only positive reviews, I'm gonna guess that it isn't as poo as I initially thought. Which is good! Either that or flamers are too pussy to say something. IF YOU DON'T LIKE, TELL!!! Anyway, thankyou to all my fabulous reviewers. You really do taste like sunshine dust! Y'all know who you are. Anyway, on with the story!! XOXO**

They walked up the stairs, Ron slightly ahead, in silence. Hermione, lost in her own thoughts, didn't realise that Ron had stopped until she walked into him. "Ron?" she asked, puzzled. Ron sighed and shook his head, starting to ascend the stairs again. Hermione frowned, not moving.

"Ron!" she said again. He stopped and turned to look at her. "What was that about?" she asked, slightly angry that he had ignored her. She quickly walked up to stand on the stair above the one he was on, so that they were level. Ron shook his head again. "Nothing." he replied, brushing past her. He stopped again when he felt a tug on his sleeve.

Glancing down, he saw that Hermione was attempting to hold him in place. "Ron, I've known you for six years. I know when you're hiding something." she stated, glaring up at him. Ron shrugged, pulling his sleeve from her grasp and starting to climb the stairs again. "Whatever it is, it's mine to hide." he responded, a little harsher than he would have liked. "Wait! Ron, you have to tell me! Maybe I can help." she said, following him. She was forced to stop when Ron spun around angrily.

"I don't _have _to do anything! News flash, Hermione. You don't need to know everything! It's none of your business!" he snapped. There was a moment of silence, in which Hermione stared in wide-eyed disbelief at Ron. "I was just trying to help, Ron." she muttered, trying to stop the tears from forming. "I know," he sighed. "But you can't always do something, Hermione. Sometimes it just comes off as-" He paused, not sure how to word it.

"Me being a know-it-all?" she finished for, unable to keep the tone of bitterness from her voice. Hermione glanced up and saw Ron's look of apologetic agreement and she saw red. "Alright then! Next time you need my help with homework, you can forget it!" she snarled, pushing past him and all but running up the stairs. "Hermione!" he called after her, giving chase. "Go away!" she shouted over her shoulder, bursting through his door and slamming it shut behind her. Growling in frustration, Ron went to open the door but the resistance he was met with told him that she was leaning against it on the other side.

"Hermione! This is my house!" he shouted through the door. He turned the handle and pushed against the door, smiling savagely when he felt it start to give. "Ron! Stop it!" came Hermione's desperate shriek from his room. "I'm stronger than you, Hermione!" he called back, pushing the door open wider. Hermione had a sudden idea. She quickly moved clear of the door. Without her weight countering the pressure he was applying to it, the door flew open. Ron stumbled into the room, barely managing to stay unpright.

Regaining his balance, he spun around to glare at Hermione, who was standing by the beds, a mixture of guilt, fear and fury on her face.

**Wow, really short chappie there. Sorry! Also, I've changed my mind. Only sad Ron tastes like soot and poo. Depending on the situation, angry Ron strikes me as freakin' hot!! Anyway, let me know what you thought! If you thought it was poo, review and say "wow! that was poo! you suck!" Please! Not that I mind all the positive feedback. I'm glad people like it! XOXO**


	9. Chapter 9

**Oh my goodness! As ever, thanks for the reviews! I can't believe we're at chapter nine already! And I can't believe how often I've come here to update and have got completely ( ---that doesn't look right) sidetracked and NOT updated! SLACK! Anyway, sorry for the wait and sorry if it's poo!! R&R!! XOXO **

They stood in silence, each glaring daggers at the other while trying to catch their breath. Hermione held her head high and panted, "Ok. So you're in. Now what?" Ron shook his head. "You're unbelievable. You know that?" he replied angrily. "Oh really? Well, you're stubborn and pig-headed and so determined to protect things that don't need protecting!" she shot back. Ron rolled his eyes.

"Oh yeah? Like what?" he asked, crossing his arms across his chest and smiling sardonically. "Like me!" she shouted. Ignoring the look of shock on Ron's face, determined to speak her mind, she continued. "You always overreact when Malfoy calls me a Mudblood! Just do what I do and ignore it!" Ron's shock became outrage. "You don't ignore it, Hermione! You say you do, you say it doesn't bother you, you say they're just words and words don't define a person! But I see the hurt on your face every time and that hurts me because you won't let me help! Everytime I try, you get angry at me!"

For a moment, Hermione shifted on the spot, unsure of how to reply. "What, so it's alright for you to call me a know-it-all constantly, because we're friends? And don't say you don't mean it!" she cried, as Ron opened his mouth to respond. "You do mean it! Every time! And you know what? It hurts more than what Malfoy says, because friends are people who are supposed to love you for you! So what if I'm smart!?" she finished, panting with anger. Ron rubbed his eyes, letting out a frustrated growl.

"Hermione," he started calmly. "You being smart isn't a bad thing. But sometimes, it gets a bit tiring. Maybe if you downplayed it a bit or-" He stopped there, knowing that he'd gone to far. Hermione was glaring at him as though he'd suggested that she date Malfoy. "What?" she hissed. Before Ron could start backtracking, she lost it. "How dare you!? I'm sorry Ron, but I'm not pretending to be stupid. Not for you, not for anyone!" she screamed.

Wincing at her raised voice, and praying that the chatter downstairs would prevent anyone else hearing, Ron took a step forward, hands out in front of him as a gesture of peace. "Hermione, I'm not saying be stupid, ok? I'm just saying that it's alright to keep what you know to yourself." Instantly, Ron regretted saying that. Hermione's rage turned to hurt in a heartbeat. Glancing at the floor, she sniffed, trying to keep the tears in check. Raising her head in as dignified a manner as possible, she met his apologetic eyes through her tear-filled ones.

"I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I'm not." she said quietly. "Hermione, you are loved for who you are." Ron insisted desperately, trying to stop her from leaving the room. Hermione snorted derisively, side-stepping Ron's continued attempts to block her path, pushing past him so angrily that he nearly lost his balance, which made him see red.

"I'm not done!" he snapped, grabbing her arm and yanking her back in front of him. Not expecting the sudden change in direction, Hermione stumbled, falling against Ron's chest with the force of his pull. Ron took a step back to steady himself, gripping Hermione's other arm for balance. Not counting on this, Hermione began to topple forward and before they knew it, with an almighty bang, Ron was flat on his back with Hermione on top of him.

Groaning, Ron released Hermione's arms and rubbed the back of his head, which had connected sharply with the ground, and with the other hand, rubbed his cheek, which had connected sharply with Hermione's. Gasping, Hermione sat up quickly, rubbing her own bruised cheekbone. Hearing footsteps approaching, Hermione quickly rolled off Ron so that she was sitting next to him.

"Ron! Hermione! What happened?" Mrs Weasley gasped, standing in the doorway. "Tripped." Ron muttered, sitting up slowly. "Oh, do be careful, dear. You gave us an awful fright downstairs. Now come on, dinner's ready!" she said, bustling out and off down the hall. "Wow. Really well done, Ron!" Hermione murmured sarcastically, getting to her feet, still rubbing her cheek.

"Yeah, because it was planned, Hermione!" he snapped back, also standing, shaking his head slightly to try and clear it. Hermione rolled her eyes and started toward the door. "Well, next time, don't miss?" she said sardonically, her gaze flicking over Ron's shoulder then back to his face, before she disappeared out into the hallway. Puzzled, Ron glanced behind him to see Hermione's camp bed no more than a foot from where they'd landed. "Know-it-all." he muttered, following her downstairs.

**Oh God, Ron! Stop! He never knows when to quit, does he? Oh well, that's why we love him! And numerous other reasons that I can't really be bothered going into, I'll just sigh constantly and I do that far to much as it is! OMG! Did you know my old manager got angry at me for sighing on the shop floor coz it made me seem unhappy and I need to be happy at work!? Asshole! Oh well, he wasn't really that bad compared( ---that don't look right either!) to the mega-bitch whore that made him act that way. Don't even get me STARTED on her. Basically, if I ever killed someone, it would, deadset (no pun intended), be her. ANYWAY!!! Enough on my stupid managers coz they're gone now and I love my new ones! Oh God, _so _off topic here! See? Ron makes me ramble! So, hope it wasn't too poo for you guys! Please review!! Still no flames... hmmm. XOXO**


	10. Chapter 10

**Oh my goodness! Chapter 10 already!! And I must say, I'm slightly stuck. I have a few ideas, just trying to tie them all together. Anyway, as ever thanks for the reviews, sorry if this is poo, all that jazz!! So, please enjoy and R&R!! XOXO**

"Hermione, dear. I'm sorry but, due to the events of the day, we still haven't sorted out your sleeping arrangments. Would one more night be alright?" Mrs Weasley asked apologetically after dinner, standing with Hermione in Ron's doorway.

Knowing that she had no choice, Hermione tried to act as though it wasn't the last thing on Earth that she wanted to do. "Of course, Mrs Weasley." she smiled sweetly, grimacing slightly as her cheek ached. Her brows knitting in concern, Mrs Weasley tenderly patted her bruise. "I'll be right back with something for that." she beamed, turning to go downstairs. "No, Mrs Weasley! Really, it's fine!" she called after her, knowing it was no good. Turning back into the room, she made her way to her bed, pointedly ignoring Ron, who was laying on his bed, glaring at the ceiling as though he couldn't hate it more.

"Mum, who says I'm alright with this?" he moaned once Mrs Weasley had reappeared. "Well, you were alright with it last night, Ron." she stated, as she rubbed a sweet-smelling cream on Hermione's cheek. "Well, last night-" Ron started before stopping himself. He knew that if his mother found out about their fight, he'd get blamed. "Last night what, Ronald?" she asked suspicously. "Nothing." he mumbled. "Have you two had a fight? Hermione, do you have a problem with this? Because if you do, just let me know, dear." she said, screwing the top back onto the tiny jar in her hands.

"No, Mrs Weasley. I'm fine with it." Hermione said, deliberately sounding as though she had no idea what Ron's problem was. She was glad of the opportunity to make him as miserable as possible. "In that case," Mrs Weasley smiled, walking to the door. "Goodnight dears!" she called before pulling the door to.

"Thanks a lot, Hermione." he snapped, flopping back on his pillows angrily and in doing so, missing them and smacking his head on the headboard. Growling in pain, Ron sat up and began punching his pillows as though each had Malfoy's face on it. "Now, Ron," Hermione scolded. "You did that to yourself." Ron stopped his pillow-bashing to cast an irate glare at her. "I'm regetting it now." he grumbled as he settled back slowly, mindful of his now-splitting headache. "Well, I'd imagine you would be." she responded, settling her own pillows and climbing into bed.

"Not that, Hermione!" Ron snapped. She glanced at him, an eyebrow raised, hinting for him to continue. "Forget it. It'll just be another reason for you to crash-tackle me." he responded, rolling his eyes. Mouth open in outrage, Hermione leapt out of bed. "Crash-tackle you!? Who attacked who, Ron? I was walking away!" In response, Ron, too, threw back his covers and jumped to his feet. Taking a few steps forward, he stopped when he was almost nose to nose with Hermione, his height making him more formidable.

"You really want to know? What I regret is bringing you back here!" Hermione gasped and for the second time that night, Ron felt instant regret. "So why did you?" Hermione asked, trying desperately to stay angry but unable to keep the hurt from her voice. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just that since you got here, we've been fighting almost nonstop! It just would've been easier if I'd-"

"If you'd what? Left me to the Death Eaters!?" she cried. "Yes, Hermione. It would've been so much better!" he snapped back sarcastically. "You don't have to be rude, Ron." she muttered. "Are you kidding!?" he cried incredulously. "You started this!"

Hermione glared at him. "Oh, very mature response, Ron!" she said in mock awe. Letting out a frustrated cross between a laugh and a sigh, Ron shook his head and stalked back to his bed. "Just go to sleep, Hermione." he sighed, flopping back into his pillows, managing to land on them this time. Glaring at him, Hermione folded her arms across her chest and defiantly cocked an eyebrow. "Not tired." she replied simply. "Well, I am, so go to sleep." he snapped, sitting up and returning her glare.

"No, Ron! Not until you tell me what was wrong before. On the stairs," she continued, seeing through Ron's fake look of confusion. "When you stopped, that's when you started to go weird." Ron stared at her for moment before laying back and staring at the ceiling. "Forget it," he muttered. "It's-"

"None of my business. I remember." Hermione cut in acidly, sitting on her bed and rolling over, her back to him. "Not important." Ron continued. "Just forget it!" After a moment, Hermione sighed. Not impatiently or sleepily, but sadly. "What now?" Ron asked wearily, closing his eyes, as though praying for strength. When he was met with silence, he opened his eyes and looked over at the other bed. Hermione's form was slightly shaking. "Hermione?" he ventured.

More silence. "Hermione, what's the matter?" he asked more urgently, sitting up now. After another moment of silence and another sad sigh, she finally replied. "I just wish Harry was here. He always makes things better." she mumbled still not turning to face him. Ron glanced from her back to the floor. "And you're trying to tell me you _don't _love him?" he replied, half in jest, half deadly serious. Hermione sighed again.

"I don't, Ron. But you have to admit, we don't fight like this when he's here. He usually steps in." Ron nodded. He knew this was true. Heaving a sigh himself, Ron shook his head. "I don't know what you want me to say, Hermione." This time, she half rolled back to face him, the look on her face, one of bewilderment. "An apology might be nice, Ron." she suggested sarcastically. "I'm not going to say sorry if I'm not, Hermione." he stated, looking at her as if she was insane.

Hermione glared at him, then sat up, snatched her pillow off the mattress and began to make her way to the door. Ron leapt to his feet and in a second, was blocking her exit. "Where are you going?" he demanded. Refusing to meet his eyes, Hermione tried to side-step him again. "I'm not sleeping in here with you. At least, not until you apologise." she replied. Taking a step forward, forcing her to take a step back, Ron shook his head. "Well, I'm not going to." This time she stared him in the face, with fire in her eyes. "Move." she ordered. "Make me." he shot back, crossing his arms determinedly.

Hermione made to pass him again, but he held out his arm. "Ron, don't be stupid!!" she growled, trying to go around the other side, where she was met with his other arm. Growling with frustration, she slammed her hands into his chest and attempted to push him back. "We've already done this, Hermione. I'm stronger, remember?" he laughed, not moving an inch. When she continued to push, he took a deep breath.

"Alright, fine. You asked for it." he sighed. Grasping her arms, he began to walk forwards, effectively pushing her back. "Ron, don't!" she cried, her feet slipping helplessly as she tried to stay still. "I repeat, you started it." he growled, walking faster. Slowly but surely, they began to cross the room, Hermione trying desperately to stop, Ron effortlessly making her attempts useless. Suddenly, Ron put on a burst of speed, causing Hermione to let out a short squeal before redoubling her efforts.

"Ron, what are you doing!?" she cried as they quickly approached her camp bed. "Taking your advice." he replied, slightly panting. "Advice?" she asked, bewildered. The confusion on Hermione's face turned to shock as her legs hit the side of the bed and she began to tumble back, Ron following. Her back hit the mattress and she bounced back up slightly, but Ron's added weight was too much for the bed and with an almighty crash, the entire thing hit the floor.

**:O Oh, Ronnie-pants!! shakes head sadly Will he never learn? Oh well, we'll find out!! R&R please!!! Much love!! XOXO**


	11. Chapter 11

**Holy crap!! I am SO SORRY!! I've been getting carried away with other things. Namely, thinking "I need to update" but never actually doing it!! So here we go!! Hope it's ok!! XOXO**

There was a couple of moments of stunned silence, during which Hermione and Ron simply stared at each other. On Hermione's face was a look of pure outrage, on Ron's, pure shock. When her breath had returned and with a cry of indignation, Hermione shoved him off and struggled to her feet, Ron doing the same.

"Honestly, Ron!! Are you that stubborn!? Just apologise!" she cried angrily, looking down at her now dusty jeans and shirt, attempting to beat the dust out. When she got no reply, she glared up at Ron but he wasn't paying attention. He was standing, staring at the floor with a deeply trouble look on his face.

"Nothing to say, huh? Because you know you're wrong!!" she continued. This time, Ron blinked and looked at Hermione as though he'd only just realised she was there, the troubled look still in place. "Just hang on." he muttered, holding out a finger to silence at her. Hermione glared at this finger before turning her glare to Ron and doubling it. "No!! Stop trying to dodge the issue!" she cried, hitting his hand away.

With a pained look, Ron held his hands up, part in surrender, and part in pleading. "Hermione, please. Just for a second." he all but whispered, staring down at the floor again, as though trying to see through it. "Ron?" Hermione whispered back, "What's wrong?" She took a step closer. Ron shook his head slowly. "Where's my mum?" he asked softly, turning his gaze to Hermione.

"What? Downstairs. Ron, I don't-" But Ron cut her off, shaking his head decisively. Then it hit her. _Why hasn't she come to check on us? _Hermione thought, a feeling of dread, much akin to the feeling she'd had when Ron had climbed through her window a few nights ago, settling in her stomach. Ron nodded, seeing that she understood. Slowly and silently, he made his way to the door, Hermione quickly joining him.

Opening it a crack, they strained their ears to pick even the slightest hint that the Weasleys were still safely downstairs. Hearing nothing, Ron quietly ran to his desk, grabbing a pair of Extendable Ears, before returning to the door. Feeding one end through the door and down the hall toward the stairs, he held the other end between himself and Hermione so that they could both hear.

Gradually, they could hear large, heavy footsteps down in the kitchen, followed by a hushed conversation held by two people that Ron didn't recognise. "Ron?" Suddenly, a whispered voice, obviously full of pain, came through, loud and clear. "Ron, if you can hear me, get Hermione and hide." Hermione's breath hitched in her throat as she realised it was Bill. Suddenly, someone barked an order and there was the very distinct sound of a fist slamming into a jaw. "Upstairs!" someone yelled. "And careful! The mudblood's up there!"

From that moment, Extendable Ears were no longer needed. Numerous, thunderous footfalls were making their way up the stairs. Hermione was frozen in fear. Ron jumped to his feet and ran to the middle of his room, where he began pulling at a floorboard. Hermione watched him struggling and was dimly aware that he'd opened a small trapdoor and was climbing into it. Meanwhile the footseps were getting steadily louder.

Realising Hermione wasn't behind him, Ron stuck his head back through the opening to see her still on her knees by the door. "Hermione!" he hissed, but she either couldn't or wouldn't move. Letting out a frustrated growl, Ron climbed back out, ran over to the door and began tugging on Hermione's arm. She blinked and looked at Ron. "Hermione, get up! Don't make me drag you!" he pleaded desperately, grabbing both her hands and pulling.

Finally, Hermione managed to get to her feet and ran with Ron to the trapdoor. The door had barely become undetectable from the rest of the floor when the bedroom door was blasted off its hinges.

**AH!! Oh my goodness! What happens next!? Sorry about the short chapter but I've been called into work early. But I'll try and update again tonight. Also, I know the trapdoor bit is lame but I do have an explanation for it!! Much love!! XOXO**


	12. Chapter 12

**Wow! Again, I'm really sorry about the delay in putting up the last chapter. And to be honest, I pretty much pulled it out of my ass. I'd had a bit of a plan but I was rushed so, sorry if it was poo!! Anyway, as they say in the classics, ON WITH THE SHOW!! Actually, wait. Where did THAT come from? "As they say in the classics"? Do they say **_**that **_**in the classics? Classic whats? Movies? Books? TV Shows? Will we ever know? Ahem, thinking too much here. I'm sick so that's my excuse!! Anyway!!**

After the dust had settled, six Death Eaters walked through the door, wands raised. Ron was vaguely aware of a sense of pride. _Takes six of them to face her. _However, this thought was quickly driven from his mind. Looking up through a crack in the floorboards, Hermione gasped and jumped slightly as Ron's hand clamped over her mouth. Heading the group, in all his greasy-haired glory, was Snape. Hermione felt Ron's breath catch and she tightened her grip on his hand, which she'd only just realised she was still clutching, almost as though it was a lifeline.

The Death Eaters roamed the room, checking under the debris of the bed, in the closet, out the window. "They're not here." Snape stated, turning to leave. "They must be!!" piped up a stocky Death Eater near the window. Snape's retreating form stopped in doorway, pausing for a few moments before turning. "Sorry?" he asked lowly, stepping back into the room, coming to a halt directly above Ron and Hermione.

There was silence for a second before the stocky man tried to backtrack hastily. "What I meant was-..uh...they might still be here, somewhere." he murmured, looking everywhere but at Snape. Letting out a low chuckle, Snape looked at the floor, directly at Ron and Hermione. Shrinking as far back as she could, Hermione tightened her grip even further on Ron's hand, who instinctively pulled her closer. _That's it, _Hermione thought desperately, _we're done for._

Snape's eyes focused on the pair for half a moment, just long enough for him to wink almost imperceptibly, before lifting his gaze. "And what _I _meant was," he stated dangerously, "they're not here." Glaring at the man once more, Snape turned his attention to the rest of them. "Let's get the rest of the blood traitors back to the Dark Lord." With that he swept from the room. "You heard him. Let's go." came the unmistakable sound of Lucius Malfoy's smooth, cold voice. One by one, the Death Eaters filed from the room and made their way back downstairs.

Ron and Hermione sat huddled together, listening for any signs of movement. Hearing nothing, Ron realeased Hermione's mouth, but maintained his hold on her hand as he climbed to his feet, pushing open the trapdoor. Climbing out partially, he leant down to help Hermione to her feet. Standing upright, Hermione gave Ron a shaky smile, before focusing fearfully over his shoulder. Puzzled, Ron turned. There, leaning casually against Ron's desk, was Lucius Malfoy.

"Hello, children."

**:O!! Ok, so I know it's another short chapter, but I wanted to leave it on a tense note!! Hope it wasn't too poo. Next chapter will be longer, I promise!! Please R&R!! Much love!! XOXO**


	13. Chapter 13

**As ever, thanks for the reviews. Also, seeing as how I've neglected to in the last few chapters, I own nothing. Most unfortunate, that. Anyway, enjoy this chappie! It's almost guaranteed (-- that doesn't look right either!!) to be poo!! :D**

Ron's heart stopped as he stared at the man leaning against his desk. He heard Hermione whimper behind him and using the grip he still had on her hand, tried to push her behind him and back down to their hiding place. Lucius tore his cold, calculating eyes from the pair and looked around the room with mild interest.

With Hermione still standing at his level, behind him at least, Ron began trying to formulate a plan. If they both tried, surely they'd be able to stun or at least disarm him. Before his hand could move to his wand, Lucius turned his gaze back to them. "You wouldn't want to try it, Weasley." he stated lightly, as though he'd read Ron's mind. Taking a leisurely step forward, Lucius pulled out his own wand and began turning it around in his hands.

"W-what do you want?" Hermione stammered from behind Ron. Lucius looked up at her in mild surprise, before chuckling. "What do I want?" he repeated. Cocking an eyebrow, he took another step forward and crouched down in front of them, so they were at eye level. "What I want," he paused, glancing between the fearful look on Hermione's face and the murderous glare on Ron's, before looking back at Hermione. He prefered fear over anger. He was tired of seeing hatred and anger directed at him. A fearful face seemed more friendly, even if the fear was generated by him.

"What I want is for you to tell me where Potter is." he stated gently, putting his wand away and clasping his hand in front of him, his forearms resting on his knees.

"And if we don't tell you?" Ron snarled back, pushing Hermione behind him again. "If you don't, I'll call the rest of them back up here." he smiled, shifting his gaze back to Ron. "And if we don't know?" Hermione asked, peering over Ron's shoulder fearfully. Lucius face turned from threatening to shock. "You mean, there's actually something the mudblood doesn't know?" he gasped, feigning disbelief, ignoring the deepening fury on Ron's face. "Draco has overestimated you." Lucius paused before the cold look returned to his eyes. "But maybe, just maybe, I don't believe you." Hermione sighed.

"Fine." she muttered, climbing out of the tiny room in the floorboards. Ignoring the grab that Ron made for her, she pushed Lucius slightly as she made her way to the desk, snatching up Harry's letter. "Here, read it for yourself." she snapped, holding it out to Lucius, her hand shaking, whether from fear or anger, or both, she wasn't sure.

Eyeing her suspiciously, Lucius took the letter and began to read. When he finished, he folded it up and placed in his pocket. "Well," he sneered, feigning regret, "that really is too bad." Making his way over to the door slowly, he pulled out his wand. Hermione gasped and quickly climbed back down with Ron. "You know, you two are exceptionally lucky." he muttered, waving his wand at the trapdoor. "Stay quiet until you hear us leave." he instructed. The last thing Ron and Hermione saw before the trapdoor closed on them was Lucius Malfoy sweeping majestically from the room.

**Ok, so I lied. Another short chapter. Hopefully not too poo!! Sorry, but I didn't want Lucius to be evil and I swear, it has nothing to do with the old man crush on Jason Isaacs. Not that I have one, of course!! Ahem... moving on! Please R&R!! Still no flames...huh. **


	14. Chapter 14

**Holy crap!! I'm so damn sorry for the delay in updating. Have had mad personal things going on. Nothing bad though!! And I hit a writer's block, and by 'hit a writer's block', I, of course, mean "smashed into a titanium mental wall doing 140 km/h in my little mental write-mobile, bursting into flame on impact". So if this chappie's poo, I really am terribly sorry, but I blame it on that. Enjoy!!**

They stayed, huddled under the floorboards for a long time after there was silence. At one stage, Hermione was shaking so badly and crying so hard, Ron thought she might start to seizure or something, so he gathered her into his arms and rocked her until the racking sobs subsided into weak bursts, then stopped altogether. With a sniff, Hermione pulled away and took a quick glance at her surroundings. It was quite dusty and very dark, but in one nearly black corner, she caught a glimpse of something light. Shuffling around and reaching out, she found it to be an old teddy bear. Judging from the state of its fur, a very loved, old teddy bear.

"Oh... That's mine." Ron muttered, seeing Hermione's slight frown. She looked up at him with a small smile. "Who's else would it be?" she asked, shocked slightly by how croaky her voice was from all the hours of crying, and held the bear out to him. Returning the smile and trying desperately not to blush, Ron took it and studied it fondly. "He was my only friend when I was down here. We went through some very harrowing times together,' he finished with a soft laugh. Glancing up, Ron saw Hermione's puzzled face and continued. "You know why I'm afraid of spiders?" he asked, waiting for Hermione's nod before continuing. "Well, that wasn't the worst thing Fred and George did to me when we were younger. This was the only place in the whole house, apart from the kitchen, or wherever Mum was, that I was safe. They don't know about it. Neither do Mum and Dad actually, so would you mind not mentioning it to them-" Ron trailed off for a second, before continuing in a quieter voice, "-when we find them?" Hermione nodded trying not to cry again.

"We will find them, Ron." she said, trying to sound sure. Ron sniffed slightly, then cleared his throat, trying to do the same. "Yeah, I know we will. I just wish I knew where to start." With a short, sharp sigh, he began to stand. "Well, we won't get anything done if we stay in here, will we?" Throwing open the trapdoor, Ron climbed out then turned to help Hermione up. Admiring his attitude toward their situation, she reached for his hand as she stood. One thing neither of them accounted for was the fact that they'd just spent a an hour or two huddled on their knees and the effect that tends to have on one's legs. With a few clumsy steps on their numb legs, they tried to regain their balance. And failed. Of course, using each other as balance wasn't the best idea and with a gasp from Hermione and a curse from Ron, over they went.

Hermione had a second to register the fact that her back had hit something soft, before Ron was falling straight on top of her, for the second time. With no time for evasive action, Ron did all he could and threw his arms out to brace himself so he wouldn't crush her. Luckily, they landed on Ron's bed which was stronger than the camp bed Hermione had been sleeping on, and so it didn't collapse. For a couple of seconds, they just lay there, stunned. With the position they were in becoming increasingly uncomfortable, Ron tried to make a joke. "Here we are again!" he chuckled awkwardly, waiting for a reaction from Hermione. With just a tiny laugh, she continued to look up at him in shock. Ron's half-hearted smile quickly faded too. _Why isn't he moving?, _Hermione wondered at the same time the thought struck him. But he was just as clueless. _Ron, _he scolded himself, _this is getting really uncomfortable. Get up! _But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move. "Ron?" Hermione murmured, hoping to snap him out of whatever he was in. It worked.

With a blink and a slight shake of the head, Ron sat up quickly, climbing of the bed and backing away until he was about a metre from the bed. Not taking her eyes off him, Hermione sat up too, but a lot slower. Turning away, Ron's hand found the back of his head. "Sorry, my...uh..legs were still asleep." he muttered weakly, hoping she'd buy it. She didn't. "Ron, what's going on?" she asked softly, a slightly exasperated tone in her voice. He heard his bed creak as she stood and her soft footsteps as she walked over to him. For some reason, every footstep he heard her take increased his panic. "Nothing," he replied, closing his eyes in frustration as he heard the panic colour his voice. "Ron? Please tell me." Her voice was much gentler now, but only because she didn't need to speak very loud. She was right in front of him now. Sighing in resignation and opening his eyes, Ron gazed apologetically at Hermione, who was gazing back concernedly.

"I don't know." he replied truthfully, glancing at the floor, but looking straight back up at her in shock as she took his hand. "Let's go have a look downstairs, then we'll decide what we'll do." she said softly, starting towards the door. Relieved that she hadn't tried to get anything further from him, he followed.

**Again, I'm super-dooper sorry about the incredible lack of updates and I hope this wasn't too terrible. I'm kinda rusty!! Please R&R!! Much love!! XOXO**


	15. Chapter 15

**OH!! Quick update!! Yay!! Ok, I'm not too sure where I'm going with this but I do know where I want to go. It's just a matter of finding out how to get there!! Hope you like!!**

As Hermione stepped out of Ron's room, she was suddenly hit by how quiet the house was. She found herself desperately wanting to hear the things that _made _it The Burrow, for all of this to be a horrible dream.

But no.

There was no clattering of Mrs. Weasley pottering around in the kitchen.

No Mr. Weasley being yelled at for yet another muggle contraption being smuggled into the house.

No Ginny laughing at the sheepish way her father tried to explain _why _it was a good idea for the house to benefit from the wonders of a blender.

No Fred and George being scolded for being... well, Fred and George.

With a sigh, she found that she wasn't sure she had the strength to go down those stairs. _Honestly, Hermione! How do you think Ron's feeling? _a brusque voice scolded in her head. "I wish I knew," she replied in a quiet voice.

"What?" Ron asked from behind her, where he was similarly frozen to the spot. Wincing, Hermione tried desperately to come up with a good lie. "I just-" Hermione winced again as her voice caught. Clearing her throat, she tried again. "I just wish I knew what happened down there. It might make it easier to face."

Sighing, Ron took forced his reluctant legs to carry him to Hermione's side. "Me too, but I'm not all that sure it would help." Glancing sidelong at her, Ron saw the tears that were threatening to spill over.

Holding his breath, he reached out until he found her slightly shaking hand. With a shocked blink that cause a few tears to run down her cheek, Hermione glanced down at their joined hands and then looked up at Ron's face questioningly.

Fighting the voice that was telling him that that was a very stupid thing to do, he tried to smile reassuringly, although he was certain that all he'd managed was a grimace. Ron sighed again. "At least we've got each other, right?"

Hermione forced a smile as well and nodded, holding his hand tighter. "If anyone's down there though, you're going back and staying there until I come and get you, ok?" Seeing the protest that was about to come, Ron held up his free hand.

"No arguments, Hermione, or you can just stay there now." With a sigh and a bit of a pout, Hermione nodded. Satisfied, Ron nodded and took a deep breath. "All right. Let's go." Ears straining for any sound, they made their way slowly, hand in hand, down the stairs.

**Alright, I know it's kind of a cliffie and kind of short, but in order for what's going to happen next, to happen, I need a break otherwise it'd be a very large chapter. I think. I could be wrong. (I know what you're thinking, but it's true. Even one as amazing as me can't **_**always**_** be right. Y'all'd feel too silly and it'd just worsen you're inferiority complex!)**

**Anyway, please R&R!! Again, flamers, go for gold. It disheartens me to only get good reviews. Don't get me wrong, I love that people like my story, I just think it'd be nice to have someone go against the grain and be all like "Oi! This is poo on a stick! You fail!" so I can be like "Pft! Whatevs, buddy! So's you're face!" and we can have a good ol' slugging (or is it **_**slogging? **_**With a 'o'? -****heh! It's like a retarded face with wonky eyes!) match. But yeah!! Enjoy, I hope!! Or do I? DUN DUN DUN!!!! Much love!! XOXO**


	16. Chapter 16

**Omg, another update so soon!? Aren't you lucky? Or ARE you? Maybe it's shit. I'd say I'm kind of biased. Anyway, I hope this works out how I planned!! Enjoy!!**

Keeping a firm grip on Ron's slightly shaking hand, trying to ignore her lungs that didn't seem to be able to take air in silently enough and the fact that she kept pausing at every sound, no matter how slight, Hermione lead the way down toward the kitchen.

About halfway down, Ron transferred Hermione's left hand to his left, sure, all the while, to keep a grip on it, he pulled out his wand. Hermione glanced down to see what he was doing with her hand and felt a bit of her fear lift when she saw that his wand was at the ready.

"Just in case," he whispered softly, shooting her a reassuring smile. Nodding, Hermione returned the smile and turned back to the stairs. _Last thing I need is to trip and fall. Ron would never let me hear the end of it, especially seeing as how he'd probably get dragged down too._

Every step sounded like a herd of hippogriffs. Every heartbeat sounded as loud as a blast-ended skrewt. Finally, they reached the last few stairs. _How's Ron, of all people, managing to be so quiet?_, Hermione thought, regardless of the inappropriate time for such trivial matters. Thus, the first thing that alerted her to the fact that something had smashed in the kitchen was Ron's reaction.

Suddenly, she felt Ron's hand yank backwards, not relinquishing its grip on hers, pulling her into his chest so that they were almost cheek to cheek, while the other hand, now wand-free, clamped over her mouth, muffling the short squeak of surprise that burst forth, just a second before they would have been in view of whoever was around the corner.

Trying to ignore the strange thrill at being held so close and so forcefully against him, with his warm breath breezing past her ear in short, sharp bursts, Hermione strained to hear anything out of the ordinary.

A muffled curse. "Careful, you useless moron! Do you want Lucius to come back in here?" came a furious whisper. What sounded like an awkward shuffle. "We could just say it happened when the stupid woman-" Hermione felt Ron's grip tighten at this and placed her free hand over the one covering her mouth, reassuringly, "-put up a fight." came the unsure, surly response.

The first speaker scoffed and replied, "And why would it just now make a sound, stupid? Just stop touching stuff. We're supposed to be keeping an ear out in case one of Potter's sidekicks is still here, lurking about somewhere."

There was a bit of unintelligible grumbling and then a huff as heavy footsteps moved slowly away from the stairs. Still holding her hand to Ron's, Hermione tried to lean forward to see where the Death Eaters were now, but Ron's and her own arm across her ribs pulled her back.

Ron's voice came in a barely audible whisper. "We have to get back upstairs and back under the trapdoor." Hermione nodded and pulled Ron's hand from her mouth, fighting the disappointment that welled up inside her as he pulled back slightly and released his grip on her waist.

As his hand withdrew from hers, a blind panic gripped her and she frantically clutched at his hand. Slightly alarmed, Ron grabbed her hand, linking his fingers with hers, and gave her a puzzled look. Blushing slightly, she just shook her head and glanced up the stairs before reluctantly meeting Ron's gaze again. With one last questioning look, Ron turned to climb the stairs.

"This is just stupid!" a voice suddenly erupted from the kitchen, making them jump slightly. Ron stopped again, recognising the voice of the Death Eater who had insulted Mrs. Weasley. _Let's just hear what he has to say, _he thought to himself, ignoring Hermione's disbelieving looks and tugs on his hand.

"Like they'd still be here! I thought the Mudblood was supposed to be smart. She would have bolted at the first sign of trouble and the other Weasley would've gone with her. They're probably sitting with Potter right now, plotting out their_ revenge!" _the voice finished mockingly, followed by a low chuckle. "Well, whether they're here or not, we have to stay til we're sure." the other voice replied angrily. "And keep it down! Or I swear, Lucius will come right back in here! Then _you _can tell him why it's stupid."

_Ron, get her upstairs! _scolded the voice in his head. _This is too dangerous a situation to be in! _It was right, too. Ron knew that. If they were discovered, they'd probably be able to hold off the two Death Eaters between them but if said Death Eaters were telling the truth, if Lucius _was _still out there, there'd be more out there with him and they'd all come barrelling in.

Whether he was good before or not, he'd have no choice but to fight against them now. _Alright, let's go, _he thought, turning to climb the stairs again. But what he heard next made it damn hard not to launch himself around the corner and Crucio the both of them.

"You know, that Mudblood's not too hard on the eyes. I wonder if the Dark Lord has any _special _plans for her when we catch them." Through her revulsion and sudden fear, Hermione felt Ron's hand stiffen in hers. Glancing up at him, she saw that he'd frozen, one foot still raised for the next step. _Oh God, please, no! _

With the angle his head was on, she could only see a little of his face, but what she did see terrified her. She'd never seen such an intense look of hatred on anyone's face. Apparently, what he'd heard next had made it _too _hard for him not to launch himself around the corner and Crucio the both of them. With a jolt of horror, Hermione realised that his hand was, again, gripping his wand. "Ron, no!" she gasped as quietly as she could, clutching his hand with all her might.

"Fuck this." he growled, turning and pushing past her, descending the last few stairs.

**Le gasp!! Ronnie swore! I didn't want to make him do it, and I swear that it won't become a swear-fest. No C U Next Tuesdays. I just felt that it best described what he was feeling. And as we all know, an angry Ron is a hot Ron!! Also, sorry it's another cliffie!! Anyway, as ever, please R&R!! It makes me happy! Much love!! XOXO**


	17. Chapter 17

**Omg!! Sorry about the incredibly delayed update! Life's been mad hectic. I'm still getting story and favourite alerts but no reviews... Makes me sad, people!! Anyway, seeing as how I'm still not quite over my writer's block, this chapter might get me some flames at least...still haven't got any of those, either...Well, enjoy!!!**

_This is so stupid! _Ron thought to himself as he launch himself into the room currently occupied by two Death Eaters. He knew that there were more outside, he knew he was putting Hermione in even more danger, he knew that he should be using the time given to them by Lucius to lie low or escape. But he couldn't help it. This was his Hermione they were talking about. _Mine? _he barely had time to think before the Death Eaters noticed his arrival.

"Well, looky what we have here!" the taller of the two almost sang, drawing his wand slowly, his head cocked. "A lonely little Blood-traitor! Tell me, is your little Mudblood friend here too?" Ron stiffened as they chuckled, slowly advancing on him. "Yeah," added the shorter, "maybe we can have a little..._party _before we kill you." he finished with a sinister leer.

Ron gritted his teeth, raising his wand. "You're not getting near her." he growled, trying to keep his temper under control. _Now isn't the time for another stupid move._

"Ah! There she is!" laughed the taller, his gaze shifting to the foot of the stairs. Closing his eyes for a second, Ron tried to reassure himself. _They're trying to distract you. She's not stupid enou-_ But this thought was cut short when he felt a small hand close around the fist at his side. Glancing down, Ron's heart skipped a beat when he saw Hermione standing beside him, her wand raised and a look that suggested that she was determined not to be afraid on her face.

"Hermione! What do you think you're doing!?" he scolded, the Death Eaters forgotten. Casting him an incredulous look, Hermione scoffed.

"Like you can talk about acting rashly! I'm not letting you face them alone, Ron!" she snapped back. _There's no time to argue with him, Hermione! You're about to be cursed into oblivion! _On the contrary, the Death Eaters seemed to be too engrossed in watching the spectacle before them to be doing any cursing.

As this thought occured to Hermione, it seemed to hit Ron as well. _Maybe if we keep them distracted long enough... _"Hermione, I'm not arguing with you about this right now. Get back upstairs!" he demanded, trying to shake her hand off his.

"No." she replied stubbornly, removing her hand herself and folding her arms. The Death Eaters cast one another a puzzled look before turning back to the fighting teens before them with a mixture of curiosity and amusement.

_Think, Ron! It'll only be so long before they get bored and kill the both of you! _"Hermione," he said softly, grasping the tops of her arms, "please. Go upstairs?" Hermione just stared at him, trying to fight the impulse to turn tail and run. She knew she should but she couldn't leave Ron down here to die for her. "I can't, Ron." she all but whispered, fighting the tears that were starting to well up in her eyes.

_Please let this work! _Ron thought desperately, as he used his grip on Hermione's arms to yank her to his chest, wrapping his arms around her to hold her there. Closing his eyes and ignoring the thrill that raced through him as he felt her arms wrap around his waist and the sudden yells of the Death Eaters as they realised, too late, what he intended to do, he thought as hard as he could of her home and Apparated.

It took a second for the sick feeling to leave Hermione. When it did, though, she became aware of a few things all at once. One, they were standing in her bedroom. Two, they were, as far as she could tell, out of danger. And three, she was still being held forcefully to Ron's chest.

"Ron? Are you ok?" she asked, trying to pull back to look up into his face. But he seemed reluctant to relinquish his grip on her. Slipping her hands between them, she pressed gently on his chest until his hold began to loosen. "Ron?" she repeated. With a start, he snapped out of whatever shock he was in and stared down at her.

"What were you thinking?" he muttered softly, too soft for her to hear. At her confused look, he pushed her back and stepped back himself. "What were you _thinking_!?" he yelled. Hermione gasped and for a second, was too frightened to be indignant. "That was so stupid, Hermione!" he continued. "I told you to go back upstairs!" Hermione's fear wore off very quickly.

"What was _I _thinking!? What, like what you did wasn't stupid!? I wasn't going to leave you to face two Death Eaters alone, Ron!" she yelled back. "You should've just ignored them! I did!" Ron made a kind of incredulous scoffing noise before starting again.

"Nobody talks about my Hermione that way, nobody!" he snapped, before realising, with a start, that he'd let the "my" slip in. _Maybe she didn't notice. _he thought desperately. But no, the look of confusion and...something else...on her face said otherwise. "Wh-what did you just say?" she asked softly, disbelievingly.

"I-I said, nobody talks about y-you that way." he replied, hoping she'd drop it. No such luck.

"That's not what you said." she countered, taking a step closer. "You said... _your _Hermione." Ron swallowed and looked at the floor, at the wall, anywhere but her. "N-no I didn't." he muttered, not really trying to sound convincing. _There's no point. She's too smart for that. _he thought, his eyes closed in defeat.

"Yes you did." came the whispered reply from right in front of him. With a deep breath, he opened his eyes and looked into with Hermione's confused and slightly...what was it? Hopeful? face.

"Why did you say that?" she asked, trying to keep breathing normally. _Don't get your hopes up, girl. He didn't mean it like that! _she scolded herself. But she couldn't help it. Maybe he did. With a sigh, Ron shook his head slightly. "Because you're my best friend." he mumbled, hoping, once again, she'd drop it. And, once again, no such luck.

"Well, you don't say '_your _Harry', do you? Is that really why?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly as she tried to fight down the sudden and irrational feeling of anticipation. She was suddenly aware of how close they were standing, how fast her heart was beating, how unsure he looked, how unsure she felt.

And suddenly, she found herself hoping with all her heart that he'd say no, just as he was wishing with all of his that he could tell her what she so wanted to hear. That no, that wasn't the reason.

That it was for the same reason that he was so over-protective when people put her down, the same reason that he got so viciously jealous when she showed an interest in the opposite sex or vice versa, the same reason that he'd thrown himself blindly into a highly dangerous situation because her innocence was at stake. Because he loved her.

But no, he couldn't say that. Any of it. Taking a deep breath, he shook his head and cupped her cheek in one hand while the other clasped hers. When she didn't shake him off, he slowly moved his hand behind her ear and started to lean in, giving her time to move away. When she didn't, he closed the distance between them faster. Just before their lips met, Hermione gasped slightly. "Ron?" When he paused, she continued.

"Don't miss." And with that, he pressed his lips to hers in a sound, desperate and heartfelt kiss.

**Wow! A really long chapter there for you! I hope that wasn't too rushed or…well, lame. But there's only one way I can know! REVIEW!!!!!! Much love!! XOXO**


	18. Chapter 18

**I'm so sorry about the ridiculously long wait! I actually wrote off my mental write-mobile. Luckily, the insurance covered it and I got a new (and hopefully, more reliable!) model so fingers crossed! Anyway, I really hope that those of you who waited so patiently (and reviewlessly, I'm sad to say!) aren't terribly disappointed with the next chapter! Let me know!!**

_This isn't happening! _Ron thought to himself in amazement. Here he was, standing in Hermione's room, with one hand cradling the back of Hermione's head, while his other gripped hers tightly, his lips still pressing against hers. _I'm kissing my best friend. _The idea was so ridiculous that Ron almost laughed…almost. To do that, he would have to stop and, quite frankly, he didn't want to.

Hermione's thoughts were running on about the same track. She couldn't believe it. She was standing with one hand clasped in Ron's, the other gently clutching the wrist of the hand that was nestled in her hair, doing something that she hadn't realised until moments ago that she'd wanted to do for a very long time.

All too soon, she felt Ron slowly pull away, his hands loosening slightly. Reluctantly opening her eyes, she saw Ron's slightly flushed face inches from her own, his eyes studying hers intently. She felt her cheeks growing hot and hastily dropped his hands, taking a step back and averting her gaze.

Wracking her brains furiously for something to say to ease the ever-growing awkward silence and coming up empty, she cleared her throat uneasily. "Um…" she started, nervously pushing her hair behind her ears and trying not to think about how nice it had felt to have been held so close to him.

Ron was similarly at a loss, standing with one hand awkwardly rubbing the back of his head and gazing in the opposite direction to Hermione. "Yeah…" he finished, inwardly wincing at his less-than-adequate reply. Sneaking a quick glance up at her, he was secretly delighted to see that the blush that stained her cheeks looked redder than his felt. _Come on. Man up, Ron!_

"Look, Hermione," he began, determinedly meeting her eyes, which had flicked up to his hopefully when he'd started speaking, as though they were just having a regular conversation after a small argument. "We really need to find somewhere else to stay. We probably aren't all that safe here, you know?"

Hermione nodded, trying to stop the disappointment from showing on her face. _Honestly, Hermione! What did you expect? To start discussing whether you and him were an "us"? It's Ron, for Merlin's sake! He's not that forward! _Hermione had to stop that thought in its tracks. He'd instigated the kiss, hadn't he?

Shaking these thoughts away, Hermione turned her attention back to Ron and took a fortifying breath. "You're right. They know where I live, don't they?" Seeing his nod, she began to pace. "So where can we go that's safe?"

"My first thought would be Hogwarts," Ron started, sitting on Hermione's bed and resting his forearms on his knees, "but we can't exactly go there now, can we?" he finished hopelessly. But Hermione had stopped pacing and was staring at him in amazement. "And why not?" she questioned, her eyes shining with excitement.

Ron raised his head to fix her with an incredulous look. "Well, I haven't got my broom, Hermione. And even if we _could _get there, how would we get in?" But she wasn't listening anymore. "So our only problem is getting there…" she murmured to herself, beginning to pace again. Ron's face twisted in confusion. _What did I miss? _

She stopped and spun to face him so suddenly, he jumped a little. "Ron, do you think you could Apparate us again?" she asked, excitement lacing her words. "What!? Hermione, you can't Apparate in the grounds of Hogwarts!" he replied, wondering how she could possibly have forgotten something that she had reminded him and Harry of countless times. Hermione fixed him with an excited grin. "But you _can _Apparate in Hogsmeade!"

Ron got to his feet and placed his hands on her shoudlers, trying to ignore the electric shock that ran trough him at how close they were. "Hermione," he said in a slow, calm voice, "you need to take a breath and explain to me, even if I _do _manage to Apparate us there, exactly how we're going to get into the Castle." Hermione, who was trying desperately to resist the urge to reach up and close the distance between them, placed her hands on his forearms and grinned again. "We can go through the Shrieking Shack!" she replied, as though it should have been obvious. Ron allowed himself a small grin and fought the impluse to crush her to his chest for her brilliance. "Of course!" he grinned.

Suddenly, her eyes widened, her grin faded and she let her hands slip from his arms, lowering her gaze to the floor. Frowing in concern, Ron gave a her slight shake. "What's wrong?"

Blinking rapidly to clear the tears that were filling her eyes, Hermione shook her head in despair. "We can't go to Hogwarts." she murmured sadly. Stepping back from Ron, she took his previous place on the bed and put her head in her hands. Still frowning, Ron knelt down before her. "Why can't we, Hermione? That's a brilliant plan!" he smiled, trying to get one in return. When she didn't move or respond, he grasped her wrists and pulled them away from her face. "Hermione," he repeated, "why can't we go?"

"I forgot about Snape and the Death Eaters." she replied glumly. "If they found their way in, who's to say they're not still there?" Ron nodded in understanding. He hadn't thought of that.

Hermione couldn't believe she'd overlooked such an important detail. She and Ron would've Apparated happily to their deaths. Sighing, she pulled one of her hands from Ron's loose grip and wiped the tears off her cheek angrily. There was still a part of her, though, that so desperately wanted to believe that Hogwarts could still be their sanctuary. "Maybe they only stayed as long as was required..." she mumbled half-heartedly.

Suddenly, Ron let out an incredulous laugh. "That's it!" he cried, ignoring her look of disbelief and confusion. "When we get to Hogwarts, we'll _require _a safe place to stay! Merlin, Hermione! Have I ever told you you're a genius?" he laughed, pulling her to her feet. "Ron, what-" she trailed off, though, when she realised what he was talking about. Seeing the look of comprehension dawning in her eyes, Ron nodded encouragingly, still grinning.

"The Room of Requirement!" she gasped.

***scrunches face up in anticipation* What'd you think? A bit short, I know! I don't know what it is, but I can't seem to write long chapters. Like, I'll be sitting here, typing and typing until I can barely see and I get reviews all like "...It could've been longer." Eh, I guess I fail. I do try though!! Anyway, let me know what y'all thought and I'll try and update a lot sooner! Because, now, I have a plan!! And a new mental write-mobile that won the AMWMA (Australian Mental Write-Mobile Award) for oustanding excellence 3 years running! Let's see if it's as good as they say!! Please please please review!! Much love!! XOXO**


	19. Chapter 19

**Wow! I'd like to thank .Potter for your incredible keen-beanism!! It was lovely to open my email to find 5 reviews just from you! ^-^ I actually giggled at each and every one! Also, thanks to heronlove. All in good time, lovey!! Even though there were only two of you who reviewed, it made my day and put fuel in my tank. And finally, thanks to Alexandra, who's review for chapter 17 whooped my ass into gear. Hopefully, this won't disappoint! ...but, knowing my luck, I've just jinxed myself and this will absolutely blow. But fingers crossed!! Anyway, on with the show and I hope you enjoy!**

Hermione couldn't believe she'd forgotten about the Room of Requirement. It was about the safest place she could think of in Hogwarts and it was now their destination. "Alright. Should we take anything? What would we need?" she asked, a million thoughts running through her mind. Wringing her hands nervously, she began to pace again, trying to cover every angle of the plan.

"Relax, Hermione. It's the Room of Requirement! It'll have everything we need, won't it?" Ron laughed, placing a hand on her shoulder to stop her from wearing tracks into the carpet. Jumping slightly at the contact, Hermione let out a nervous, breathy laugh and nodded.

"Of course." she smiled, feeling slightly disappointed when Ron let his hand fall away. "Shall we go then?" she asked, turning to face him nervously. He nodded, unsure of how to proceed. She was just as hesitant.

"Ok, we'd best be off then." she murmured, still trying to figure out what to do next. "Are you sure you can Apparate us to Hogsmeade?"

Ron rolled his eyes a little at her doubt, but then gave her a questioning look. "Can't you Apparate?" he asked jokingly, hiding his genuine confusion as to why it was up to him.

"W-well, yes," she replied unsurely. She'd been hoping she wouldn't have to explain. What was she supposed to say? "_Yes, but I'd like for you to hold me again and this is the perfect excuse"_? She'd have to think fast to avoid the awkwardness that this was sure to result in. "But, this way, we know we're both arriving in the same place and there's safety in numbers." she finished, relieved that she at least sounded convincing.

Ron allowed himself a moment to happily dwell on what reason she could be hiding behind her flimsy excuse, with the guise of thinking it over, then nodded, though he acted as though he was still slightly dubious. "Yeah, I guess." he finally answered. When she made no move to step closer, he sighed a little in impatience.

"Well, come on then. The sooner we get there, the sooner we'll be-" _alone. _Scolding himself inwardly, Ron hurried on. "-safe." Praying that she hadn't picked up on his near slip-up, but knowing, by the slight suspicion that crossed her face, that she had, he covered his embarrassment by stepping forward and nodded for her to come closer.

Giving a small nod, Hermione stepped forward until they were chest to chest, but couldn't bring herself to do anything but stare coyly at his shirt. Ron seemed just as unsure. _This is so stupid, _he scolded himself, trying to convince his arms to just reach forward and wrap around her small frame. _We've done this before. Hell, we even kissed! What's so different now? _he thought angrily, even as the answer came to him.

When he'd grabbed her back at the Burrow, it had been a spur-of-the-moment, fight or flight thing. No time to think of the consequences. When they'd kissed, which he still couldn't quite believe, they'd been acting on the adrenaline still pounding in their veins from their near-death encounter.

Now, though, the adrenaline was gone. Now, they had time to think about how they each felt about such contact, especially now that they'd kissed. What would this mean? To him? To her? Would it just be closeness out of necessity? Would he secretly enjoy it? _Of course I will! _he inwardly scoffed. But would she? Did it matter? _Of course it does. _he thought, with a little less certainty. _Maybe it won't mean a thing to her. _But then, she'd suggested that they Apparated together. _She had a good reason though, _he argued with himself.

Meanwhile, Hermione was having a similar internal debate. _He's not as stupid as everyone thinks. He saw right through the safety-in-numbers excuse! _she berated herself. Surely the kiss had been a heat-of-the-moment thing. It probably didn't mean as much to him as it did to her.

_But he called me 'his'. "His Hermione". _she thought hopefully. Almost immediately, though, the little voice in her head stamped this thought down. _It was a slip of the tongue! He didn't mean anything by it! _

_So why hasn't he moved? _

Sure enough, he was still standing in front of her, looking slightly to the left with a look of intense concentration on his face that suggested that he was having an internal debate akin to hers. _Don't be silly, Hermione. He's probably trying to plan for any trouble we might run into. You should be doing the same!_

Shaking her head slightly, Hermione cleared her throat quietly, effectively snapping Ron out of his reverie. "We should really go now." she murmured, glancing up at him. Ron nodded, also clearing his throat. _Again, man up, Ron!_ he thought angrily to himself. Taking a deep breath, he pulled her forward until she was flush against him, wrapping his arms around her and gripping his forearms behind her back.

Hermione was caught slightly off guard by the tremor of delight that shook her and the way her heart stopped momentarily then started again at triple its natural pace. Regaining her composure and finding comfort in the fact that, through her close proximity to him, she could hear that his heart was going at about the same speed as, if not faster than her own, Hermione raised her arms and wrapped them tightly around his waist and closed her eyes. She told herself that this was to brace against the disorientation that came with Apparation, but she was no one's fool, especially not her own.

_That's right, sweetheart, _her inner voice said knowingly, _blame the Apparation. _

"You ready?" Ron asked, adjusting his grip on her so he was sure she was as tightly in his arms as she could be without being crushed. Ignoring her inner voice's taunting, she tightened her own grip, before burying her face in his chest and nodding. "Let's go." she replied determinedly.

**Ok, so what did you guys think? I'm actually quite pleased with how this turned out. I think it gives a little more insight into what they're both thinking. I know that the last chapter made it seem kind of like they weren't really phased by the kiss. They were! ^-^ Anyway, I hope you guys didn't find it too poo. But there is only one way I can know!! PLEASE REVIEW!!! Much love!! XOXO**


	20. Chapter 20

**Geez! Apparently I'm on a roll! It's currently 5:46am, I don't start work until midday and I'm up and typing away furiously before I forget the idea that just entered my half-asleep mind and just kept growing. It was like a movie! LoL. Also, I've not yet received any reviews for my last chapter but maybe I haven't waited long enough. Hopefully, if all goes to plan, there'll be a lil' action in this chapter! -.^Anyway, hopefully you won't find this too shithouse. Let me know!**

Ron was expecting to have to fight off post-Apparative disorientation in the hustle and bustle of Hogsmeade and as such, was instantly on alert when they were surround by nothing but empty streets. Sure, things had quietened down a lot since Dumbledore's death but generally there was still a fair bit of traffic during the day.

Without taking the time to relish in the closeness that he was currently sharing with Hermione, but not wanting to sever contact completely, he pushed her away from his chest gently, his hands lingering on her shoulders just long enough to steady her, before taking one of her hands in his own.

Hermione frowned at his wariness as she clutched his hand with both of her own, casting her own eyes around the street worriedly. "Why's it so quiet?" she asked quietly, returning her gaze to Ron, who shook his head.

"I don't know, but I don't like it." He also didn't like how exposed they were, standing out in the open like this. There were too many places from which they could be taken by surprise.

Tugging her hand to start her walking, Ron made his way quickly to the sheltered doorway of a shop that was, of course, closed. Turning to face her and hating the look of fear that was plastered on her face, he placed his other hand on both of hers, raising them to chest-level so she would look at him.

"Hermione, we're going to go, nice and steady, towards the Shrieking Shack. Now, I'm gonna be right here the whole time, but if something happens, you're going to run as fast as you can while I hold them off." Seeing her eyes widen in horror and her mouth open to protest, Ron continued firmly.

"Hermione, you need to trust me on this. I'll do all I can to give you time to get away, but if you don't use that time wisely, I'm going to be very pissed." He smiled slightly at this last part, mainly to appease her as he saw stubborn outrage stealing across her face.

It didn't work.

"Don't be stupid, Ron! I didn't leave you to face them alone at the Burrow. What makes you think that I would here?" she snapped, glancing around warily as she saw him wince slightly and gesture for her to lower her voice.

"I'm not leaving you." she finished, pulling her hands from his grasp and folding her arms across her chest in an act of defiance.

Exhaling heavily in an exasperated sigh, Ron tried his best to stay calm. "Hermione, this is completely different to the Burrow." he replied in a low voice.

Hermione eyes narrowed in scepticism and Ron could sense an argument growing. "How was that different? We were in just as much danger as we could be now!" she replied. What was with this boy and throwing himself blindly into dangerous situations!?

Ron rubbed his face roughly in frustration before letting his hands drop. "Hermione, at the Burrow, we at least had the upper hand because we were on home turf. Not to mention, we had the element of surprise! Any Death Eaters in Hogsmeade probably heard us Apparate here!" he whispered harshly, his annoyance straining against his efforts to keep it from his voice.

"Well, maybe you should learn to Apparate quieter!" she whispered back, shifting her eyes away in embarrassment at her petulant response, knowing the moment that she said it that it was an idiotic reply. Actually, she didn't care! She looked back again with a determined glare.

Ron smirked and cocked an eyebrow, fixing her with a 'you-know-you're-being-ridiculous-and-you-know-I'm-right' look. Rolling her eyes in defeat, and suppressing the urge to stomp her foot in protest, Hermione admitted defeat.

"Fine. I'll run like a coward," she huffed sulkily. "But if you get hurt, I'm going to be running, like a _coward_, mind you, shouting back over my shoulder 'I told you so'!" she finished.

Ron rolled his eyes at her dramatics and gripped her hand again. "Let's go then. Wouldn't want to deprive you of a chance at being right, would we?" he joked, peering around the still-deserted street, before drawing his wand and stepping out cautiously. Hermione made a face at his back before drawing her own wand and following.

They made their way silently and vigilantly down the main street of Hogsmeade, walking as close together as was practical, taking shelter every now and again in the doorways of the deserted shops. Ron made an effort to stay in front of Hermione, unitl she mentioned quietly that she had the distinct feeling that they were being followed.

They stopped in another doorway, this one set a little further back into the shopfront than the others, making it more of an alcove.

Ron herded Hermione back until she was right up against the door before making his way back to the entrance of the little niche and peering out.

Sweeping his gaze first back the way they had came and then up to where they were headed, Ron was met with a sight that first made his heart leap to his throat, then fall to the ground with a wet _thunk_ where it gave one last pathetic lurch and was still.

The Shrieking Shack was only 100 metres up the road.

And it was positively swarming with Death Eaters.

"No," he gasped quietly. _What do we do now? _he thought despairingly.

"Um, Ron?" came Hermione's anxious voice from behind him. Dread settled over him and he couldn't help but moan in distress as he turned to see Hermione, wandless, in the clutches of a burly Death Eater.

He'd been so intent on how they'd wasted precious time going to the Shrieking Shack only to be thwarted, that he'd not heard the door that he'd pushed Hermione against squeak slightly upon opening. Nor had he heard Hermione squeak slightly upon being grabbed from behind. And now she was likely going to die for his carelessness.

"Well, well! Looks like this time, I get to party with the Mudblood alone!" he sneered, chuckling maliciously in her ear. Hermione let out a whimper as she cringed and tried to move away from his foul breath, only to be tugged roughly back in place.

Ron was torn between rage, the overwhelming urge to vomit, gut-wrenching fear and sheer and utter hopelessness. But he wouldn't let either of them go down without a fight.

Forcing his rage to the forefront of his emotions and using it to steady his voice, Ron clenched his fist as he replied. "Where's your other mate?" he asked, satisfied that, though his voice shook, it did so with barely-suppressed fury.

He'd recognised the Death Eater's slimy voice as the one who had made the first smutty remark about Hermione. Forcing himself to remain calm, Ron waited for the Death Eater's reply, partly out of curiosity and partly because small talk with the man would buy him time to think of a plan.

Also, hopefully it would keep the guy distracted enough that he wouldn't notice that Ron's other hand was tucked slightly behind his leg, shielding his wand from view. It seemed to be working.

"Well," the Death Eater began, tracing Hermione's jaw with one dirty finger and grinning with sick pleasure when she jerked in his grasp and a tear trickled down her cheek, "the Dark Lord wasn't too pleased that you got away. _He _bore the brunt of our Lord's, ahem, _displeasure_."

Ron was watching Hermione's futile attempts at distancing herself with a growing sense of powerlessness. _Just don't do anything rash, Ron. _he thought sternly to himself. _Think of something that _won't _ultimately result in Hermione's demise! _

But the Death Eater's next action could not be ignored.

Hermione's last struggle had been particularly vigorous and before either of them could do anything to prevent it, his open hand had collided powerfully with her cheek, snapping her head to the side. Gasping for breath, Hermione barely had time to register the impact before her chin was gripped viciously and her face was forced back to its place next to the Death Eater's.

At seeing the blood that was making its way slowly down her cheek from a small cut on her cheekbone, the Death Eater grinned and let his tongue trace the scarlet line from her jaw back up to the wound. He shivered in delight at both the taste and Hermione's moan of pain and disgust and grasped her hair, using it to yank her head back and whisper in her ear sadistically. "Mmm…_filthy._"

With a feral grin, he raised his eyes to look at Ron. Malice turned to shock and a tiny bit of fear when he saw that Ron was clutching his wand in a shaking, outstretched hand. The look on his face was murder.

"Well, now _you_ get to bare the brunt of _my _displeasure." Ron answered in a voice of deadly calm.

The Death Eater suddenly seemed to remember that he had Hermione's wand so he raised it, pointing it squarely at Ron. Seeing no change on the boy's face, though, he was gripped by a sudden inspiration.

Letting the surprise slide from his face to reveal a savage grin, he slowly pointed the wand back towards himself. Or, more accurately, at the witch still struggling delectably in his grasp.

His grin widened as he immediately felt her struggles stop with a small gasp. But it grew even further and a malevolent chuckle floated over his lips when he saw the fear and defeat in the Blood Traitor's eyes as he lowered his wand slightly in panic.

Ron's gaze flicked from the Death Eater to Hermione, then back again. _Don't fall for it, Ron. He's counting on you giving in! _Clenching his jaw, he tightened his grip on his wand and raised it to its previous height.

This was not going to happen. Ron wasn't going to let Hermione pay any more than she already had for his momentary lapse in concentration. He would protect her, the way he always did. And, he suddenly realised without a whole lot of surprise, the way he always _would_. But he couldn't fight him in the open like this. All the Death Eater had to do was call out to his buddies and all hope would be lost.

_I've got to get him inside. _

Taking a step forward threateningly, Ron had to fight with all his strength to keep the satisfied smirk from his face as the Death Eater looked alarmed and confused for a moment before taking a step back to accommodate, dragging Hermione with him.

Hermione had given up on struggling. She couldn't get away, nor could she take anymore of the disgusting actions of the Death Eater holding her. It had been all she could do not to scream or vomit when he'd licked her cheek. She felt dirty, contaminated, violated, corrupted. The only thing that had been any consolation was the look on Ron's face.

He wouldn't take that lightly. The dirt bag holding her would pay dearly for it, she was certain.

Trying not to stumble as the Death Eater backed up, Hermione kept her eyes on Ron. She'd never seen such anger or such heavily forced calm before. He looked indomitable and Hermione had to drag her thoughts away from how absolutely drawn to him she was, and, apparently, had always secretly been, and back to the terrible danger that they were both in.

He was determinedly avoiding her gaze. She hoped that it was because if he looked at her, he'd lose his concentration or his courage, and not because his fury had made him forget that she was even there. _Of course he knows I'm here._ _He just doesn't want to be distracted._ she tried to convince herself. But there was still the nagging feeling that she was wrong.

Ron was still staring Hermione's captor in the eye, slowly but surely backing him into the building, and so far he hadn't caught on. Out of the corner of his eye, Ron saw Hermione's face twisted in both fear and pain. But there was also a touch of…hurt? _Don't think about it, Ron! Worry about her afterwards. You can't afford to lose focus!_ he berated himself, intensifying his glare at the Death Eater. _Just a little further…_ Ron took one more step, as did the Death Eater.

The man didn't realise his mistake until he saw the teenager before him grin savagely before kicking the door shut behind him.

Hermione felt the Death Eater stiffen and had to fight to keep the small smile on her face from growing into the proud and victorious grin that was trying to emerge. Ron was good. But on the occasions where he was _really _good, he was incredible. Now, they could fight back without drawing attention.

"Careful, Blood Traitor!" the Death Eater warned, backing up another couple of steps, tightening his grip on Hermione and jabbing her wand into her throat to emphasise his point. "Don't forget that I've got your little girlfriend!" Hermione flushed as Ron's eyes flicked to hers.

Sending her a look that said 'Trust me', Ron fought down his own blush and looked back up to the man behind her. "You won't kill her." he replied confidently. "I mean, you want her, don't you? What good is she to you dead?" he asked in mock curiosity, ignoring Hermione's disbelieving look.

The Death Eater chuckled darkly and Ron felt his bluff fall flat. "Who said I was going to kill her? After all, there are a _lot _of things worse than death." Hermione stiffened and squeezed her eyes shut as the Death Eater nuzzled into her hair. Suddenly, he pulled back and looked at her thoughtfully.

"Although, I suppose she might not be _completely _useless dead…" he trailed off, letting his eyes wander to Ron's disgusted and outraged face before letting his gaze return to the terrified witch pressed against him. Suddenly, he let out a bark-like laugh and released her hair, re-securing his arm across her waist and pulling her even closer in an almost affectionate embrace.

"Ah, who am I kidding? It'd be no fun if she didn't fight back!" he sneered, raising his eyebrows suggestively at Ron. Who, of course, snapped.

"That's _enough_!" he roared, acknowledging the brief satisfaction that flared at the fear that flashed across the man's face. "You won't _ever _get closer to her than you are now!"

The Death Eater's face cracked into an excited grin. "Well, it's too bad you won't get a chance to see just how wrong you are!" he cackled gleefully, raising Hermione's wand until it was aimed right at Ron.

Ron tried to force his heart to slow down as he readied himself. Letting his gaze finally rest on Hermione's face, he had to force away the voice in his head that was reminding him that this could be the last time he ever saw her. _I never had a chance to tell her, _he thought vaguely, before pulling his mind back to the task at hand. _I'll just have to make sure we both live through this so I can._ he thought simply. He tried to offer her a reassuring smile, but only managed a slightly comforting tweak of the lips. Hermione seemed to understand though, and offered one in return.

"Don't miss." she mouthed, and Ron actually managed a real smile this time. Nodding slightly, he returned his gaze to the Death Eater unfalteringly.

It all seemed to happen in slow-motion.

Hermione was shoved roughly to the side as she heard Ron's voice roar "Petrificus Totalus!" even as the Death Eater shrieked "Avada Kedavra!"

Her heart seemed to stop and she couldn't think, couldn't speak. This couldn't be happening!

"Ron! _NO!_" she screamed as the room was filled with scarlet and emerald light. Throwing herself forward, arms outstretched, she knew she was too late as two bodies crashed heavily to the floor.

**O.O Oh no! What ever will happen next!? I think this might actually be my longest chapter yet!! Nearly 3,000 words! Whoop whoop!! LoL, I started this at 5:46am , and it's now 9:38am. The sun is well and truly up…and I'm off to bed!! Surely I can squeeze in a couple of hours sleep! Also, I'm really sorry if the Death Eater was too creepy. But it just seemed…right. But oh so wrong! I had Danny Trejo's Johnny 23 from Con Air in mind for a lot of it, but someone more sinister…like John Malkovich or someone. I can't think who though. Possibly Tim Curry? I don't know. Not in looks though. In manner. Anyway, let me know what you thought!! Much love!! XOXO **


	21. Chapter 21

**Sorry!! Oh, I'm sorry it took so long. My internet was being a wanker so I couldn't update. That's what I get for going with Optus, I suppose… Bastards. Also, I've had a fair bit going on lately. And still very few reviews. Makes me sad! Anyway, here's the next instalment. Just a warning, though. This chapter has mentions of attempted rape. I don't know if it's bad enough to merit a warning but I just thought I would. Just in case, you know? Anyway, hope y'all like it!! **

Hermione flew to Ron's side. Her heart, which had stopped at the Death Eater's killing curse, was now beating so hard she was sure it would burst from her chest.

Dropping to her knees beside his motionless body, Hermione tried desperately to clear the tears that were flooding down her cheeks yet still managing to very effectively blur her vision.

Wiping her shaking hands hurriedly across her eyes, Hermione placed them on Ron's chest and shook him gently, at first. "R-Ron?" she sobbed, her voice shaking almost as much as her hands.

Receiving no reply, she grabbed his shoulders and doubled her efforts until she was shaking him so roughly that his upper body actually left the ground. "Ron!" she cried louder. _He's not dead, _she told herself determinedly, even though she knew she was wrong. _He can't be! _"Ron! Wake up!" she moaned.

Squeezing her eyes shut in a futile effort to once again be able to see, she fixed her watery gaze on his face. It looked like he was sleeping, he was so calm and still.

With a sob, she lifted his head and shoulders and rested them on her knees, wrapping her arms around him. Cradling his head to her chest, she gave in to her tears.

What would she do now? She needed him to save her! She'd always been so stubborn and so self-reliant, but now she knew that she had only ever be so confident because she'd had him to back her up if she'd failed.

And now she didn't.

She had to save herself now. As she pulled back from him, she was sure it would be the hardest thing she'd ever have to do. Pressing a kiss to his forehead, Hermione gently lowered him to the ground, tears still coming in full force.

"I'm sorry, Ron." she whispered, gently cupping his cheek. "I'm sorry I didn't get to tell all the things I wanted to." Sniffling and withdrawing her hand, she sat up. "I never even got to say goodbye." she moaned, dropping her head into her hands.

"Don't worry, my little Mudblood. You'll get your chance soon enough!"

With a gasp, Hermione spun around only to come face to face with the Death Eater. Rage swirled through her veins and churned in her stomach.

With a savage cry, Hermione launched herself at him, well aware of the fact that she had no wand and not caring in the slightest.

The Death Eater was caught off guard and so Hermione's attack sent them both sprawling. "You killed him!" she screamed, straddling his waist and punching every bit of him she could with strength fuelled by her grief and rage.

He recovered quickly. With a growl, he grasped her wrists and rolled so he was on top of her. "Well, now _this _is more like it!" he grinned as she was easily overpowered.

_Oh crap, _Hermione thought as she realised that she had grossly misjudged his recovery time. Struggling with all her might and not loosening his grip an inch, she realised that she didn't stand a chance against him.

_This is it, _she thought in dazed resignation. With a defeated sob, she lay in his grasp, panting at her exertion. "That's right, just calm down." the Death Eater murmured almost soothingly. "We don't you to wear yourself out just yet." Hermione just glared up at him, the few tears she had left trickling down her temples and into her hair.

Grinning, he raised her hands until they were above her head and transferred both her wrists into one hand, while the other he slowly and deliberately trailed down her cheek.

Chuckling lightly as she flinched away, the Death Eater let his hand continue its southward journey. He drew his fingers gently down the side of her neck, letting them linger there, relishing in the feeling of her pulse beating violently against his fingertips.

Keeping his eyes on her screwed-up face, he sighed in contentment as he moved his hand lower, across her collarbone. "No need to rush now, my dear. We have all the time in the world." he whispered, lowering his mouth to where his fingers had rested a moment ago.

Pressing his lips almost tenderly to the skin just under her jaw and feeling the way her breathing hitched in her throat, he smiled again.

"I can feel your filthy blood pounding away." he purred, "I can't wait to see more of it." Sighing again, he began to move his hand again.

When it met her breast, however, Hermione began to struggle again. "Ah!" he reprimanded sharply, tightening his grip on her wrists until she cried out. "I think we've already established that you're not getting out of this. Stop struggling. We don't want you tired out, remember?"

With that, he continued. Down over her stomach, then back up and down her side until he finally came to rest on her hip. "Now, remember. This is happening, whether you want it to or not." he warned as he trailed his fingers across the waistline of her jeans, coming to stop at her belt buckle.

_Hermione! _her mind screamed at her. _Fight back, for God's sake! Don't let him do this, or Ron will have died for nothing!_

With a gasp, Hermione snapped out of whatever state of shock she was in and with all her strength, pulled her knee up to meet the Death Eater's groin.

She felt savage satisfaction and an almost painful flare of hope in her chest as she heard his howl of pain and felt his grip loosen enough that she could wrench her wrists free.

Struggling from underneath him, she began to crawl away from him. Hearing him curse and feeling his hand close over her ankle and begin to pull, Hermione screamed. Kicking blindly, as hard as she could, she grinned as she felt her foot connect sharply with his face.

As his grip loosened again, she scrambled to her feet and made a mad dash for the door. _Almost there! _she thought with mounting hope.

That is, until she heard the heavy footfalls behind her and felt the Death Eater's considerable weight crash into her. With a scream, she hit the ground, once again pinned under his body.

Flipping her roughly onto her back, he raised his fist and drove it into the side of her head. Stars burst before Hermione's eyes as pain exploded in her skull.

Blinking rapidly and trying to focus, Hermione was vaguely aware of the Death Eater fumbling with her belt. "No," she moaned weakly, trying in vain to push his hands away,

Just as she felt her belt loosen, the Death Eater's weight suddenly vanished as though he had been pulled off her. Through her stunned haze, she could hear what sounded like a scuffle, punctured by grunts of pain multiple thuds that sounded like fists meeting flesh with immense force.

Suddenly, with one final thud, the sounds stopped and there was nothing to be heard but laboured breathing.

Hearing heavy footsteps making their way unsteadily towards her, Hermione struggled into an upright position but with her head swimming the way it was, she couldn't maintain it and found herself falling back to the ground.

Bracing herself for impact, she found her landing halted by a pair of arms.

"Hermione? Hermione, just hold on!"

Struggling to focus on the person holding her, Hermione couldn't keep her eyes open any longer and she felt herself sink gratefully into unconsciousness.

**And there we go. I'm not sure whether this was any good or whether it was too intense but, you know. And who is the mysterious savoir? We'll find out in the next chapter!! Anyway, please review!! Much love!! XOXO**


	22. Chapter 22

**Well, that was a pretty inspiring response! I take it it wasn't so bad? While I felt horrible about the way things went down, I will hopefully redeem myself with this chapter. Anyway, as ever, let me know what you think!! Enjoy!!!!**

Ron hit the floor with a thud and lay still, somewhat in shock. He was alive, he knew. The Death Eater's killing curse had ricocheted off his own body bind, so he knew that the Death Eater was still a threat. _I'll just lay low, make him think that I died_, he thought, resolutely keeping his eyes shut and staying as still as he could, regardless of Hermione's screams and attempts to wake him.

_She's gonna kill me when she finds out, _he thought as he lay in her arms, head crushed to her chest as she sobbed. With every ragged intake of breath, Ron felt his heart break a little more. He wanted nothing more than to hug her back and reassure her that he was fine. That _they _were fine.

But he couldn't, because they weren't. Not yet.

"I'm sorry, Ron." he heard her whisper as he felt her shaking hand on his face. _What could you possibly have to be sorry for, Hermione? _he asked silently.

"I'm sorry I didn't get to tell you all the things I wanted to," she continued as she pulled her hand away. _Neither did I, _he mentally responded again, inwardly sighing at the loss of contact. "I never even got to say goodbye."

Ron didn't have a chance to think a reply to this. Someone beat him to it. "Don't worry, my little Mudblood. You'll get your chance soon enough!" As the oily voice of the Death Eater met his ears, Ron had to fight with every single ounce of strength in his body not to get up and pummel the man. But he had to. He couldn't risk missing his chance.

And so he lay still as he heard Hermione launch herself with everything she had only to be overpowered.

He lay still as he heard the Death Eater sooth her with empty words of 'comfort'.

He had to fight especially hard to lay still when he heard the howl of pain and Hermione's frantic bid for freedom.

And finally, when he heard the meaty fist meet with Hermione's delicate face and her struggles subside, Ron knew he needed to make his move.

Getting quickly to his feet, Ron saw that the Death Eater's back was to him, shielding Hermione from his view. But Ron didn't need to see her to know what was happening. The Death Eater's arm working furiously at something around where their bodies met and the metallic jingling of Hermione's belt told him all he needed to know.

Silently yet hastily, Ron made his way over. "No," he heard Hermione moan and that was enough. With a growl, Ron grasped the Death Eater's shoulders and with strength he didn't know he had, ripped him off Hermione, throwing him down a few feet away.

Before the man had a chance to figure out what had happened, Ron was on top of him and swinging. Every punch met its mark like a guided missile, yet didn't seem to be hitting hard enough. Ron felt like even if his hand went straight through him and into the ground below, this Death Eater couldn't feel enough of the pain that Ron wanted him to.

After what seemed like hours, Ron realised that the Death Eater was no longer resisting or making any sounds. He was unconscious. With one final punch, Ron released the front of his robes and let him fall motionlessly back to the floor. Panting, Ron looked over his shoulder to see Hermione struggling to sit up. In seconds, he had stumbled wearily to her side, just in time to catch her as she fell back.

She looked terrible. A dark purple bruise was already blossoming on her temple. Dust from the floor had become trapped in the drying tears on her cheeks, dirtying her pale skin. Her hair was a mess, her clothes dishevelled. "Hermione? Hermione, just hold on!" Ron called to her as her eyes rolled back into her head and she went limp in his arms.

"Oh no." Ron whispered as he shifted her so one of his hands was free. Closing his eyes and praying to every deity in existence, he pressed his shaking fingers gently to the underside of her jaw.

Nothing.

"Oh, give me a break!" Ron half-yelled, half-sobbed as he tried a different spot. Again, nothing.

Groaning in desperation, he tried her wrist, pulling her body up with his other arm so that he could place his ear over her mouth. With the blood pounding in his ears at the rate that it was, Ron doubted whether he would be able to hear anything else. Thankfully, he could still feel.

A slight but steady fluttering against his fingertips. Licking his lips, he lowered his mouth until it hovered a centimetre from hers. Short bursts of air beat against his moistened lips and he didn't think he'd ever been happier. With a relieved sigh, Ron ran his eyes over her body again in case he'd missed any injuries. His gaze fell on Hermione's undone belt and his blood ran cold.

He'd cut it too fine. It should never have been so close. Shaking his head, he reached forward to refasten the buckle. But he never got the chance. The second his fingers touched the buckle, Hermione gasped sharply and shot upright in his arms. Ron was too stunned to react as she cried out and scooted herself out of his arms and away from him.

Looking around wildly, she obviously had no clue what was going on. "Ron?" she called desperately, still casting her eyes everywhere but at him. Ron was frowning at her in confusion, his mouth still hanging open in shock. "Hermione, I'm right here." he replied soothingly, raising his hands palm-out in an attempt to calm her.

Hermione's eyes landed on him for a second before her face creased into a frightened look of suspicion and confusion. Shaking her head and whimpering incoherently, she continued to back away. Suddenly, her hand landed on something softer than the floorboards of the shop and she looked down in surprised confusion.

Her hand was resting on the chest of the Death Eater. A chest that was barely rising and falling. The man was a mess. In fact, were it not for the Death Eater robes, Hermione doubted she'd have recognised him. His face was a bloody mess, with masses of bruises beneath the sticky red glaze. She recoiled, yanking her hand away as if she'd been burned.

Turning away from the sickening sight, her eyes landed again on the boy kneeling a few feet away from her.

She took in his red hair, blue eyes that were soul-piercing even at this distance and in this dull light. She let her gaze drop to his heaving chest and watched as his hands lowered until they were resting on his knees. It was only then that she noticed the bruised and bloody knuckles.

Slowly and carefully, she edged forward until she was knee to knee with him.

Still refusing to meet his gaze, Hermione took one of the injured hands in hers and studied it closely. Gently brushing her fingers over the swollen knuckles, she realised that the blood hadn't come from any wounds on these hands.

Finally, she allowed her eyes to travel up to his face. She was slightly surprised to see that he was studying her curiously. Then it finally hit her just _who _was studying her like that.

"Ron?"

**Ok, so what did y'all think? I know, Ron might have been a bit violent, but hey! He's alive! Yay!! And as I said in an earlier chapter, an angry Ron is a hot Ron!! But yeah, review!! Much love!! XOXO**


	23. Chapter 23

**Ok, so I've got a couple of reviews for the last chapter that seemed pretty positive. So yay! Otherwise, yeah. Pretty quiet. And here I am on chapter 23 with no flames! Can't be too bad then, ey? So, again, yay!! Anyway, I'm freakin' exhausted after a very long night so y'all better be grateful that I'm spending valuable sleeping time getting this written. Eh, it's Saturday. There's always tomorrow for sleep. And so with no further ado, I give to you… Don't Miss, Chapter 23!!!!**

He was dead. She'd watched him die. Well, no. That wasn't true. She'd watched the Killing Curse fly towards him and then was blinded by the flash of the two spells. Could he have deflected it? No, there was no protection from that spell. Maybe it had missed. Yes, that must have been it.

_But I held him. I held him and he was dead! _Hermione insisted to herself. How, then, was he sitting a few feet from her, watching her with worried and cautious eyes?

_Because he's alive and he saved me. Again. _

Shuffling forward a little, Hermione stared at Ron as though he was a Magic Eye picture that she couldn't see. "Ron?" she asked again, mystified, her eyes searching his face for any sign that this could be a trick. Or, more accurately, that it _wasn't. _That he _was _sitting there. And then, unknowingly, he gave her one.

He cocked an eyebrow in uncertainty and that was all she needed. With a with a half-sob, half-gasp, Hermione threw herself at him, her arms wrapping around his shoulder tightly. Getting over his initial shock quickly, Ron responded by folding his own arms around her waist as tightly as he dared, squeezing his eyes shut as relief, warm, dizzying relief hit him.

They sat there for a few minutes, both lost in their thankfulness at the other being alive and, to an extent, unhurt.

Finally, Ron uncurled his arms and, with gentle force, set to loosening her arms. Not an easy task, apparently, because each time they loosened even slightly, Hermione would make a noise of panicked protest and tighten them again.

Eventually, she seemed to understand that he wasn't going anywhere and allowed him to pull her arms down, but refused to sever contact completely, keeping her hands locked behind his neck and her wrists resting on his shoulders.

"I'm sorry, Hermione." Ron murmured, brushing her hair from her eyes and gently cupping her bruised and bleeding face, guilt and pain written all over his own. Hermione closed her eyes, savouring his touch, and shook her head.

"What for? You saved me again. You always do." she replied, opening her eyes and releasing a new wave of tears.

Sighing, Ron wiped a few tears away as his eyes wandered over her face. "And I always will. When are you going to get that?" he asked in mock frustration. Hermione lowered her eyes with a tiny laugh, but looked back up in objection to his next words.

"I took too long." He ignored her outraged look and continued. "This," he brushed his fingers along her bruised temple and bleeding cheek, "shouldn't have happened. I'm supposed to be protecting you."

Hermione frowned. "Newsflash, Ron. You _did _protect me! This is nothing to what could have happened." Again, Hermione dropped her gaze. "What was _about _to happen." she finished in a whisper.

Ron clenched his jaw in rage. Just the thought of it made him so mad that he contemplated getting to his feet and killing the bastard then and there. Instead, he groaned and pulled Hermione against him again and about squeezed the life from her. For a moment, he thought about loosening his grip a little but realised that she was, in fact, holding him with just as much force. Finally, she pulled back and pressed her forehead against his. "How are you alive?" she asked incredulously, her voice straining under the weight of her tears, her eyes closed. Smiling softly, Ron closed his eyes as well and sighed.

But before he could answer, a quiet moan ended the moment. In one fluid motion, Ron pulled Hermione's arms from his shoulders and swept her behind him, putting himself between her and the Death Eater who, until a moment ago, had lain forgotten in the shadows.

Hearing her terrified gasp and feeling her hands desperately clutching at the back of his shirt, Ron pulled his wand and slowly stood.

"Ron, don't! Please, don't go near him!" Hermione whispered, trying in vain to hold him back. Ron looked over his shoulder at her and shook his head. "I'm just going to restrain him." he replied reassuringly. Hermione stared at him for a moment before shifting her eyes back to the prone form of the Death Eater and nodding, relinquishing her hold on him.

Ron walked slowly and cautiously over to the man, fighting, every step of the way, against the urge to resume his earlier attack. Finally, he stood over him and glared down in disgust.

The man was, for want of a better word, fucked up. _Wow. I really did a number on him, if I do say so myself. _he thought bitterly. But looking down at the bloody mess, Ron felt no satisfaction. He just felt sick. Yes, the man had deserved it and, given the chance, he'd do it again in a heartbeat, but Ron was not proud. But it was more than the gory sight before him. It was the reason _behind _the attack. Ron's motivation. That was what truly turned his stomach.

Suddenly, Ron was aware of the fact that the man was looking up at him, taking short, gurgling breaths, his chest rising sharply and barely falling before it hitched again with the need to draw air into his lungs and the effort that it took.

"It s-seems I underestimated you…" the Death Eater spluttered haltingly, raising his head slightly off the ground to look up at him, trying to suppress the overwhelming urge to cough. Ron quirked his eyebrows slightly in agreement before slowly raising his wand.

The Death Eater's eyes flicked from Ron's to the wand, then back and he let his head fall back against the floor in acceptance. A soft gasp made Ron turn back to Hermione. She was looking at him in mild horror, torn between approval and disapproval. Ron gave her an almost defiant tweak of the lips and turned back.

At Hermione's gasp, the Death Eater had also turned his attention to her. Feeling a kick of satisfaction at seeing her bruised face and dishevelled clothes, he smirked inwardly. He was hurting, he wasn't going to deny it. The boy's fists had been fuelled by moral outrage and, as such, had packed quite a punch.

He wasn't really fussed as to whether he died or not, but he did want to cause the Blood Traitor pain for interrupting his time with the Mudblood. A couple of seconds more and he would have been causing the teenagers more pain than they could ever imagine. From what he had seen, the Weasley boy was righteous and determined to do things the right way. He didn't have it in him to kill. _So I'll bait him, _he thought spitefully. He would make the boy hate himself. And, if he was right about the Mudblood, she'd hate him too.

That's right. The boy had flogged him to within an inch of his life and now, he was going to taunt him into taking that inch. But what would be the best way? What would send him over the edge the most effectively? Then it hit him. He glared up into Ron's eyes for a moment. Then, grinning nastily, turned towards Hermione and, with a wink, blew her a kiss.

Ron growled. He knew what the man was trying to do. It wouldn't work. "Hey!" he barked, drawing the man's gaze again. "You think I'm going to make it that easy for you? Not a chance." Seeing the man's eyes widen in surprise, Ron grinned savagely. Pointing his wand directly at the man's face, he muttered "Petrificus Totalis."

The Death Eater's eyes were rolling in alarm as Hermione sighed a breath of relief. Ron glanced at her and smiled softly before returning his gaze to the frozen man before him. "I'm not going to kill you because you're not going to win like that." Ron stated, squatting next the Death Eater, studying him somewhat.

"I mean,that's what you wanted, right? Me to kill you and then have to live with the guilt?" he continued, still calm. With a shake of his head, he went on. "I wouldn't feel guilt, I don't think. But that's not why I'm not killing you." Standing again, Ron pointed his wand at the Death Eater's chest and muttered a healing spell.

"I'm not killing you because you don't deserve to die. You're not good enough for that. But, you don't deserve to live, either. You see, you're not good enough for _that._" Cocking his head, Ron stared down at the man. "So, what are we to do with you?"

"You're a fool! Leave me alive, kill me, I don't care. Just know that if you _do _leave me alive, I'll find you. I'll hunt you down. I _will _have her!" the Death Eater snarled. Ron smirked, shaking his head and kneeling next the man again.

"Maybe you'll find us. Maybe. If you do, though," Ron lowered his voice to a menacing whisper, "I'll be there. And I'll stop you again. And you will _never _have her."

Pointing his wand at the Death Eater a final time, Ron muttered, "Silencio." Finally looking back up at Hermione, he offered a half-smile and held out his hand. "Let's get out of here."

Still reeling from how calm and rational Ron had been during his exchange with the Death Eater, Hermione nodded and stepped forward. Suddenly, she paused and looked back at the Death Eater. Huffing determinedly, she marched over to him and with a grunt, kicked him squarely in the face. Panting slightly a the effort of keeping it at just one, she turned and looked, somewhat self-conciously, at Ron.

However seeing the approving look he was giving her and noting the rather proud grin on his lips, she held her head high and met his eyes squarely as she quickly joined him and slid her hand into his. They made their way to the door of the shop and Ron peaked out into the street to see if it was clear. Seeing nobody, he cautiously led Hermione out but stopped in the little alcove of the shop when he realised that they still didn't have a plan. The Shrieking Shack plan was out, no doubt about it.

"Ron, I know this is a really bad time, but I just wanted to say that what you said in there was really sweet." Hermione murmured uncomfortably behind him, clutching his hand with both of hers. Grinning, Ron turned around. "You're amazing, Hermione!" he beamed. Hermione's eyebrows drew together in confusion. "Huh?"

Chuckling, Ron's pulled his hand from hers and cupped her face, mindful of the scratches and bruises. "You are brilliant!" he laughed, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead. Hermione just gazed up at him in bewilderment, a slight blush staining her cheeks. What had she done that was so brilliant?

"Hermione, we'll get into Hogwart's through Honeyduke's cellar!"

**Wow!! I don't know if Ron was too level-headed in this chapter. I just wanted to emphasise the fact that he's not an idiot and that he can be rational, I guess. Also, I don't like the thought of him killing someone in cold blood, which is what that would've been. In the midst of battle is different. Not when the fella's just lying on the ground like that. And Hermione had to have little payback. ^.^ I, personally would've castrated him. And sorry for the f-bomb, but I couldn't think of another word for it, hence the "for want of a better word". Anyway, let me know what you thought!! Much love!! XOXO**


	24. Chapter 24

**Ok, first of all, I'd like to thank ObsessedRHShipper for pointing out the fact that the Death Eater probably shouldn't have been able to talk. Although being put in the full body-bind is different to being properly Petrified, you're right. I probably should have had Ron bind him in another way, but I, of course, didn't think of that until now. So thank you! And everything will be out in the open soon enough! So, have patience. Good things come to those who wait! :D And yes, I realise y'all have been waiting for, oh, I don't know…23 chapters? But I am getting there!! Anyway, please enjoy!!**

Hermione's heart jumped, but whether it was from their goal being so close or from Ron's kissing her forehead, she wasn't sure. She tried to convince herself that it was the former. _God, Hermione! This isn't the time or place to get all giddy over a little kiss! _she scolded herself mentally.

But she couldn't help it. Whether it was the six years of friendship bordering on something more or the fact that in the past day, Ron had saved, protected and defended her numerous times, Hermione couldn't help the way her heart would triple its pace when Ron held her hand or the way it would almost stop when he let go.

This was becoming more than a stupid little crush. Or had it always been more? Had she just not noticed? _There's no way I could not notice this._ she thought decisively. Suddenly, Hermione became aware of the fact that Ron was shaking her shoulder gently, bringing her swiftly away from her thoughts of…whatever this was that she was feeling, and back to the present situation.

"Hermione?" Ron asked, "You with me again?" Nodding and trying to mask her embarrassment, Hermione made to step past Ron and onto the street, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back into place.

"Let me check it out first, alright?" he said in a low voice. When she nodded in compliance, Ron released her and turned back toward the street. Peeking around the opening to their hiding place, Ron had to fight back a curse.

Working their way systematically down the street from the Shrieking Shack were a dozen Death Eaters, stopping at each shopfront and blasting the doors open. No doubt they were looking for their missing member.

Sighing heavily in despair, Ron turned back to Hermione's hopeful face, which turned to puzzlement after seeing his expression. Pushing past him, Hermione carefully stole a look down the road.

"Oh, shit." she whispered, making Ron's eyes widen in surprised amusement, before he pulled her back and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Hermione, we're going to have to make a run for it." he stated, trying to fight down the fear rising in his chest.

Hermione shook her head in terrified protest, giving him a pleading look. "We have to! We can't stay here, they'll find us for sure!" he insisted. She knew he was right, he could tell by the way her shoulders fell under his hands. Sighing, Hermione nodded.

"Right," Ron started determinedly, "we'll go together, you in front, me right behind you. That way, any curses they shoot off will be more likely to hit me first." Hermione squeezed her eyes shut against the urge to argue with him. She knew it would do no good.

Ron was in full 'I-have-a-plan-and-it's-the-only-plan-we-have-so-we-have-to-give-it-a-shot' mode and the Weasley's stubborn streak, that Hermione was sure Ron got the most of, would make any attempts at negotiation fruitless.

"Ok," she whispered, opening her eyes and raising her head to meet his gaze steadily. Ron's eyes narrowed slightly at her willingness to listen to him, before he nodded once and turned to check the Death Eater's positions. They were getting steadily closer. It was now or never.

"Ok, get ready." Reaching back for Hermione's hand, he gently pulled her in front of him, hand resting on her back, ready to push her into a run.

"Wait! Ron," Hermione began, turning to face him and wringing her hands anxiously. Ron watched her in confusion and slight impatience. If they were going to make their move, they had to hurry. "Hermione, come on! Don't freak out on me. We have to do this now!" he whispered hastily.

Bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet, Hermione's face was creased in…indecision? "I know," she replied. "I just-" She trailed off, apparently unable to find the words for what she wanted to say.

Finally, making a noise of frustration, Hermione leant forward and pressed her lips to Ron's in a brief kiss. Pulling back and averting her gaze, she cleared her throat nervously. "Just in case." she mumbled, returning to her previous position and readying herself to run.

Ron studied her in surprise for a moment. Then, allowing himself a quick grin, he put his hand on her back again and lowered his mouth to her ear. "Whatever you hear, don't you stop running." he said resolutely in a hushed voice. Seeing her bite her lip, Ron knew she was just bursting to argue. "Please." he breathed, imploringly. Hermione closed her eyes and nodded. Ron sighed in relief. "Ok, now go!"

Taking a deep breath, Hermione shot out of their hiding place and ran for her life down the road towards Honeyduke's, Ron's pounding footsteps following. Hearing the alarmed shouts of the Death Eaters, she was almost overcome by the urge to scream hysterically. She was panicking, she knew it. She'd never been so scared in all her life.

_Oh, Merlin! I'm going to trip!_ she thought in terror. She was going to trip and get them both killed.

She could feel her lungs struggling to fill, she could feel the beginnings of a stitch in her side. But, up ahead, she could see Zonko's. _That's a only a few doors down from Honeyduke's!_ She allowed herself a moment to think that they might make it. And that was when the curses started to fly.

At first, there were flashes of green streaking past her, then Hermione heard a bellowed order not to kill them. After that, Stunners were the majority, although Hermione could hear multiple screams of "Crucio!". She could still hear Ron behind her but was he falling behind? Was he bleeding?

It was stupid, Hermione knew that the second the idea entered her brain. But she couldn't fight the impulse to look behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, Hermione saw Ron hot on her heels, the Death Eaters mostly far behind them, with a few running ahead of the pack.

Ron gave Hermione an incredulous look as her eyes met his. But before he could tell her to turn back around, she tripped on the cobbled road and fell with a scream that was cut short when her face collided with the ground.

Ron was quickly by her side, pulling her up. "Hermione, keep running!" Ron cried as he pushed her along in front of him. Shaking her head to try to clear it, Hermione tried to pick up the pace, but the impact with the road had dazed her.

If they didn't make it to Honeyduke's in the next couple of minutes, they'd have to turn and fight. They'd be killed. _And it'll be entirely my fault._ she thought vaguely.

And then, all of a sudden, they rounded a corner and Ron was pushing her through a door, past dozens of different kinds of candy and behind the counter of Honeyduke's.

"We made it?" she asked out loud in wonder. Ron sighed impatiently as he led her down into the cellar. "Barely." he replied, sitting her down gently and checking her out for any serious injuries. Aside from yet another bruise to her face, she hadn't done too much damage when she ate pavement. Just a split lip and grazed palms from where she'd tried to cushion the impact.

Satisfied that she wasn't in any immediate danger, Ron got to his knees and started searching for the slab concealing the entrance to their escape. Hermione closed her eyes, trying to slow her heart and battle the headache that was slowly growing. "God, I'm so tired…" she mumbled, resting against a crate.

Spinning around at her words, Ron was alarmed to see Hermione slouching against the wooden box, eyes closed. "Just hang on, Hermione!" he called, resuming his furious search. "We're nearly out of here."

Finally, his fingers found the edge of a loose slab and, with a grunt, he lifted it to reveal the tunnel. Grinning in triumph, Ron quickly made his way to Hermione's side, shaking her shoulder. "Hermione, come on."

Getting no response, Ron shook a bit harder, tapping the side of her face lightly with his other hand. "Hermione? Hey, wake up!" Slowly, her eyes opened and she struggled to focus on Ron's face.

"Did we get away?" she mumbled, her eyes glazed. Pausing, Ron listened. Everything was silent. Apparently, the Death Eaters hadn't seen where they'd vanished to. "Yeah, we got away," he replied, grabbing her arms and pulling her to her feet. "But we have to go now. Can you stand?" Hermione nodded surely and pulled her arms from Ron's grasp. "Yep. I'm fine." she answered, trying to steady her knees as the shook under the weight of her body.

Shaking his head and rolling his eyes, Ron gripped her wrist and pulled her arm around his neck. "Sure you are." he muttered sarcastically, placing a supporting hand on her ribs. Slowly and carefully, they made their way to the tunnel, Ron practically carrying her. Depositing Hermione into the dark opening, Ron reached back and pulled the slab back into place before resecuring her arm around his neck and starting their slow journey through the dark.

**Yay! They got away! And, I don't remember if the tunnel was still accessible after the sixth book but let's say for argument's sake that it is. I mean, otherwise, they'd have no chance and it is my duty as a fanfic writer to ensure my 'other people's' characters have a shot!! Anyway, let me know what you all thought!!! PLEASE REVIEW!! I'm getting desperate for reviews now! While I am certainly grateful for the ones I **_**do**_** get, I'd kinda like a couple more! :D Much love!! XOXO**


	25. Chapter 25

**Ok, first of all I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter. It was mighty inspiring! Anyway, hopefully this chapter will be up to scratch. Let me know what y'all think! **

The only sound was two sets of slow, careful footsteps and heavy, laboured breathing as Ron and Hermione made their way down the passage. Ron was still supporting Hermione as she tried to recover from her less-than-gentle introduction to the cobbled road of Hogsmeade.

He was also finding it exceedingly difficult to slow his heart. They had just nearly died. A _few _times, in fact. Hermione had nearly been raped, they'd had a whole hoard of Death Eaters chase them down the street, and now he was trying to keep both a concussed and nearly unconscious Hermione and his own exhausted self moving through a dark, cold tunnel that wasn't even guaranteed to get them into the castle.

Hermione's knees began to give out and she clutched Ron's shirt with her free hand. "Ron," she gasped, wincing with the effort needed to speak. "Please, can we stop for a minute?" Ron sighed, taking a moment to dwell on just how much he would like for them to just stop there and sleep for the rest of eternity, which was a very stupid thing to do, as it made going on just that much harder.

"Nope. Come on, Hermione. We're nearly there!" he replied, knowing just as well as she did that they had no idea how close they were, or weren't, from salvation. Hermione sagged a little more against him. "Please?" she begged, sounding close to tears. "Just for a minute?"

Ron sighed. "Hermione, if we stop now, you and I both know that we won't be able to start again. Now, come on." he coaxed, hitching her up and adjusting his grip on her so that her arm was a little tighter around his shoulders.

And so, on they went. Getting tired of the silence and knowing that it would drain them further but not particularly caring, Hermione sighed. "Ron? What's the first thing you're going to do when we get to the Room of Requirement?" she asked tiredly. Ron chuckled.

"Sleep for about a year, I think." he replied, stumbling slightly before recovering. "Something tells me that all that's going to be in there is a bed." Hermione smiled, before blushing slightly. _Just one?_ she thought. Mentally shaking herself, she tried to cover up her awkwardness. "Well, I get the biggest, softest, most comfortable one there." she replied haughtily.

Ron laughed in reply, grateful for her composed reply. He'd realised a moment too late that he'd revealed the fact that he'd been subconsciously assuming that they'd be sleeping in one bed. Thinking back, he couldn't pinpoint the moment that he'd decided this. He'd just thought it. "Just as long as I get first pick at whatever food's there." he shot back.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Like I'd be stupid enough to come between you and your food." Grinning, Ron shifted her weight slightly before straining to see anything ahead. Then he felt the overwhelming urge to pinch himself.

"Hermione, do you see that?" he asked, hardly daring to hope. Glimmering faintly in the distance was a speck of light. Hearing Hermione gasp in delight, Ron almost laughed in relief. "I told you we were nearly there!" he crowed jubilantly.

With renewed vigour, they quickened their steps. Safety was finally within reach! In what seemed like minutes, they were standing behind the statue that concealed the entrance to the tunnel. Stopping, Ron unlooped Hermione's arm from his shoulder and rested her against the wall, keeping his hands on her shoulders until he was sure she could stand on her own.

"Ok, you right to walk on your own?" he whispered, lowering his voice in case anyone was within earshot. _Not very likely in a deserted castle, stupid. _his mind chided. _Who says it's deserted, smartass? _he shot back, satisfied when he thought no response. Hermione took a deep breath and let it out sharply before nodding. "Alright, we go slowly and quietly, ok?" Again, she nodded. Taking a deep breath himself, Ron grasped her hand firmly and turned back to the back of the statue.

As he had said, they slowly and quietly made their way up to the seventh floor corridor, keeping to secret passages and staircases as much as possible. The castle was silent, as they'd hoped, but this only succeeded in making it seem disturbingly cold and lifeless. This wasn't helped by the fact that the light that had looked so bright in the dimness of the tunnel was, in reality, only torch light.

Hermione could feel the hairs on the pack of her neck standing on end as she felt like they were being watched. Glancing at the portraits on the walls and judging by their sleeping occupants, she had to assume that it was late. Their trek through the tunnel had taken longer than she thought it would, apparently. Shooting a look over her shoulder and scolding herself for panicking at the sound of a painted man shifting in his sleep, Hermione gripped Ron's hand tighter and carried on.

Finally, they reached the seventh floor without having met anybody. Ron could hardly believe their luck. However, he didn't want to get ahead of himself. They weren't in the Room yet. Things could still go wrong. What if it didn't work during holidays? What if it had relied on Dumbledore's magic to work? _It'll work now because we need it to and it didn't rely on Dumbledore because even _he _didn't fully understand it! _he scolded himself.

Suddenly he was aware of where they stood. A long stretch of blank wall lay in front of them. Smiling slightly, Ron looked down at Hermione. Exhausted, battered and bruised, her eyes were still shining with relief and excitement. Shifting her eyes to his, she grinned widely. "Shall we?" she asked, the relief clear in her voice.

Smiling and nodding back at her, Ron took a few steps back, taking Hermione with him, before they began to pace back and forth before the space where the door would appear.

_We need somewhere safe. _Ron thought, eyes closed. _We need somewhere safe. _Hermione tightened her grip on Ron in anticipation and sudden fear. What if it didn't work? No, it _had _to. After all they'd gone through to get here, she'd be so pissed if they failed now.

_We need somewhere safe. _

Stopping, Hermione didn't want to open her eyes. "Did it work?" she whispered, eyes still screwed shut. Hearing Ron sigh heavily, Hermione's heart sank. _You've got to be kidding me. _

"I'm sorry, Hermione…" Turning her back to Ron, Hermione tried to fight down the wave of tears that were trying to overcome her. The overwhelming urge to scream at the injustice of it all. "…but it looks like we'll have to share." Hermione's eyes snapped open in shock. "What?" she murmured, not daring to believe it.

Turning slowly back to Ron, she saw him standing in the doorway of the Room of Requirement, grinning from ear to ear. Strangely though, her first instinct wasn't to smile or laugh or cry or even run into the room screaming. No, her first instinct wasn't any of these things, but she acted on it anyway.

Drawing her fist back, she drove it into Ron's arm with as much energy as she could muster. It wasn't a lot. She was sure there'd have been a greater result had she thrown a wet tissue at him. Ron just laughed, grabbing her hand and pulling her inside, shutting the door firmly behind them.

Glancing around the room, Ron let his eyes wander over the king-size bed against the opposite wall. _At least it's big enough that we won't be squashed into any uncomfortable positions, _he thought with mild relief. Continuing to let his eyes roam, he took in the roaring fireplace, heat, comfort and light emanating from it in waves. Finally, the smell of sausages, vegetables and pumpkin juice met his nostrils and he thought he might cry from relief. Merlin, he was hungry!

Using his hold on Hermione's hand, Ron pulled her over to the lounge and the small coffee table sitting before it, a tray of mouth-watering hot food resting on its polished wood surface. Dropping to his knees, Hermione landing beside him, Ron looked at her out of the corner of his eye. Sensing his gaze, Hermione turned to face him, a look of excitement on her face. As he watched, though, the look turned to one of concern.

"You didn't tell me you were hurt, Ron!" she gasped, her eyes now fixed on his arm. Frowning in mild confusion, Ron followed her gaze to a bloody slit in his sleeve. "I didn't realise I _was._" he mumbled in reply, studying the wound through the hole in his shirt.

"Well, you can't get a proper look at it like that." Hermione chided, turning to face him. "You'll have to take your shirt off." _Don't blush, don't blush, don't blush…_ Too late. She could feel the telltale burning rising on her cheeks. Taking a deep breath, she determinedly raised her eyes from Ron's arm and let them settle on his shocked and, she was glad to see, slightly embarrassed face.

"Why?" he asked, discomfort colouring his voice. _Come on, Ron! It's not as though you have a disgraceful body. _he scolded himself. But that wasn't what he was afraid of. If he saw any sign in her gaze that she liked what she saw, then things could get, and seeing as how it was him, most probably _would _get very awkward.

"So I can have a look at your arm." Hermione stated, battling her own thoughts. _You'll be fine. Just don't _ogle _him. _Almost scoffing at herself, she inwardly shook her head. _Like I'll be able to help it! _

No! She was Hermione Granger, the cleverest witch in their year! She got excited over books, not boys! She got nervous over exams that she knew she'd ace, not seeing her _best friend _take his shirt off. That's right, he was her best friend. Even if he _did _take his shirt off, why should that make her feel all funny? Besides, he was probably wearing a t-shirt or something underneath, thus she'd only be seeing his arms, which she'd seen before. What was the big deal?

_I hadn't kissed him before. _There was silence from her mind then. It had nothing. Drawing herself away from her now-finished internal debate, Hermione was startled to see that Ron had indeed taken his jumper and shirt off and was now leaning against the couch, his arm held out at an awkward angle as he assessed the damage. Much to Hermione's relief, he was wearing a white wife-beater. However, it wasn't particularly loose, therefore it didn't particularly hide the basic shape of Ron's body, which left Hermione's imagination running rampant with images of what lay beneath.

Unaware of Hermione's frenzied girl thoughts, Ron was taking stock of his injuries. The blood on his shirt had come from a large gash in his upper arm. Whether it had come from the scuffle with the Death Eater or from a stray curse from their mad dash for Honeyduke's, Ron wasn't sure. He _was _sure, however that it was stinging. And he was also very glad that he had decided to wear a wife-beater under his shirt. Glancing at Hermione, he saw her flushed cheeks and the crease in her brow which told him very clearly that she was troubled.

"Hermione?" he murmured, jumping slightly with her as she was startled from her reverie. Glancing at his face, Hermione shook her head. "Sorry, I was just thinking…" Trailing off, she shook her head again. Reaching for his arm, she tried to fight down the dizziness that was threatening to come over her. Her hands were shaking as they made contact with Ron's arm. His skin felt like it was on fire and as she traced the side of the gash with a careful fingertip, his arm tensed. Hermione felt her stomach contract with the muscles of his arm, and she felt her heart kick up a notch.

"Sorry," Ron chuckled uneasily. "Your hands are cold." Hermione cast a quick look at his face and was somewhat comforted by the fact that he looked just as awkward as she felt.

"Oh!" She took her hands away and rubbed them together, gently blowing on them to try to heat them. "Sorry, I just thought your skin was hot because you were hurt." she muttered as she rubbed them together with a bit more speed. Her actions were halted, however, when Ron's warm hands reached out and closed around her own.

"It's ok. It actually felt better. Kind of soothing." he added, trying to ignore the way his heart tightened in his chest at the feel of her hands resting in his, their separate temperatures contrasting so drastically. After all, it wasn't as if he hadn't held her hands before. But as he had rationalised it to himself before, when they'd been in her room and about to Apparate to Hogsmeade, the adrenaline was gone.

They were now as safe as they were going to get. They had time to think their actions and reactions through. And he now had time to dwell on how soft and small her hands were in his own large, strong ones. Just like her. She was small, she was delicate. He was bigger and stronger and he wanted to protect her. He _needed _to protect her.

Looking up from their joined hands and letting his gaze rest on her face, Ron realised that she was looking at him curiously. Giving her a quick, lopsided smile, he shook his head slightly. "Just thinking." he replied quietly. Casting his eyes over her face, he shook his head again, this time in regret. Transferring both her hands into just one of his own, he allowed the other to reach up and gently rested his palm on her cheek.

Hermione's breathing hitched in her throat as she winced slightly. Seeing Ron's brow crease in anger, she dropped her gaze to their hands and tried to fight down the tears that were burning at the back of her eyes, making her vision pulse.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione." he whispered hoarsely, guilt colouring his words. Returning her gaze to his, she frowned in confusion. With alarm, she realised that his eyes were unusually bright. _Please don't cry, Ron!_

"For what? You didn't do anything." she murmured, noticing that she was losing her battle with her tears. Her vision blurred and she had blink rapidly to clear it. This resulted in her tears leaking over her lashes and down her cheeks. _God! Why am I crying so much lately! _she thought angrily to herself, trying to pull her hands free from Ron's to wipe the offending tears. Ron's grip, however, merely tightened and the hand resting on her cheek gently brushed them away for her, before coming to rest on her jaw.

"Exactly. I didn't do anything. I was supposed to protect you, Hermione!" he groaned, resting his forehead on hers. "And I know you said that I did and that this is nothing to what could have happened, but this is _everything _to what _should _have happened."

Hermione closed her eyes, relishing in his closeness. His breath against her lips, his warm hand on her face. It was making her head spin. A lot. In fact, she was suddenly finding it terribly hard to sit up. "Ron…" she moaned, squeezing her eyes shut. She could feel her legs shaking, her heart pounding, her ears ringing. Opening her eyes again, she tried to focus on Ron's face, but she couldn't. Her vision was filled with pulsing black shapes.

"Hermione?" Ron muttered in concern. He could feel her pulse beating rapidly beneath his fingers. Her breath was coming in short, sharp bursts. Pulling back slightly, Ron released her hands and brought his free hand up to cup the other side of her face. Tilting it back so he could see her properly, he was alarmed to find her eyes rolling lazily as she tried to focus. Beneath all its bruising, her face was pale. Her lips were the same, the cut, a stark contrast to the pallor surrounding it. "Hermione, what's wrong?" he asked urgently, shaking her slightly.

"Dizzy…" she mumbled weakly, her eyelids fluttering with the effort of staying open. She was beginning to lean on him more and more, no longer able to support herself. With a slightly relieved sigh, Ron realised that she was probably just exhausted. "Come on, then." he said softly.

Shifting so he was leaning over her slightly, he slipped one arm around her shoulders and pulled her up, before slipping the other arm under her knees. Gently lifting her, he walked over to the bed and carefully laid her on the mattress. Lowering her head to the pillow, Ron once again slipped his arm beneath her knees and lifted her body, reaching under her to pull the sheets back before lowering her again.

"Hermione?" he whispered softly. There was no reply. He reached down and slipped her shoes off before tucking her feet under the sheets and pulling them up over her shoulders. Resting his hand gently on her hair, Ron watched her carefully for a moment. When he saw that she was peaceful, her chest rising and falling evenly, he gave a weary sigh and turned.

Walking back over to the couch, Ron sat and looked at all the food still sitting on the table untouched. Glancing back over his shoulder at Hermione's huddled form in the bed, he realised that he was no longer hungry.

Turning his attention back to his arm, he turned so that the light from the fire lit up his injury clearly. Looking around the Room, his eyes landed on a cupboard he hadn't noticed before. Walking over, he opened the doors and found that it was full of bandages and magical remedies.

He grabbed a kidney dish, a few bandages and some wads of gauze then made his way back to couch. Filling the kidney dish with cool, clean water from his wand, Ron set about patching himself up, letting his thoughts wander.

**Ok, I think this is one of my longest chapters! I'm sorry it took so long. I had it half-written then got distracted by something (can't remember what) then came back to it and changed, like, all of it. Anyway! This is the end result and I hope you all find it decent! Much love! XOXO**


	26. Chapter 26

**Hmm. More alerts than reviews… But the few that I did get were quite encouraging. Hope you like this chapter. The next one's all written and ready to go, so if I get enough reviews for this one, I can promise a speedy update! Enjoy!**

_Hermione watched as Ron's body crashed to the floor…again. Again, she flew to his side and cried over his body. Again, the Death Eater provoked her into attacking him. Again, he pinned her down, reaching to undo her belt. Only this time, Ron didn't come to her rescue. She looked over to where his body had fallen to find him still lying there, his eyes wide and unseeing. Tears forced themselves down her cheeks as the Death Eater roughly jerked her jeans down over her hips. "He won't save you this time, Mudblood." he sneered in her ear as he fumbled with his own trousers. Squeezing her eyes shut, she opened her mouth and screamed._

Ron had been staring into the fire contemplating everything that had happened and trying to analyse everything that had happened between when he'd arrived at Hermione's house right up until he'd put her to bed just an hour ago. He was, however, ripped violently from his musings at Hermione's shriek.

Turning quickly to look over the back of the couch, he saw her thrashing about before launching herself upright. Throwing himself off the couch, he ran over to her. "Hermione?" he asked, tentatively reaching a hand out to her. Her eyes, which had been darting around the room, settled on him, tears forming as she tried to slow her rapid breathing. "Hermione?" he repeated, softer this time, edging slowly towards her.

Her eyes shot to his hand before returning to his face, before she dissolved into tears, her hands cradling her face as she wept. Sighing, Ron closed the distance to the bed and sat next to her, placing a comforting hand on her back. "What's wrong? Was it a bad dream?" he asked quietly, rubbing her back slightly. Seeing her nod, Ron sighed again, moving his hand to her shoulder and pulling her into his arms gently.

"Y-you were dead and you c-couldn't save me!" she sobbed brokenly, curling into his chest and drawing her knees up to her own. Ron frowned and tightened his grip. He hadn't even considered that she might have nightmares about what had happened, about what had _nearly _happened.

_Well, _that _was clever, huh? Leave her alone to fight off her terrors herself. You're supposed to protect her from _everything_! _he scolded himself mentally.

"Hermione. I'm alive and so are you. We're fine now. I _did _save you, ok?" he murmured, rocking her gently. "I'll _always _save you." Hermione sniffled and pulled back, wincing slightly and placing a hand to her ribs. Fixing her with a concerned look, Ron tilted her face up so he could see her properly.

She looked worse now that she did before, the bruises marring her face having darkened significantly. The cut on her lip had split from her crying and a small trickle of blood was now trying to worm its way down her chin.

"Come on. Let's get you fixed up, alright?" he gently slid from under her before offering her his hand. Gripping it tightly, she swung her legs off the bed and, with a hiss of pain, clutched her ribs again. Reaching out with his free hand, Ron supported Hermione's back and, as slowly and gently as he could, eased her to her feet.

"Thank you." she mumbled, not meeting his gaze. She was embarrassed about breaking down in his arms yet again and by the fact that she couldn't even get out of bed alone. Shuffling slowly to the couch, Ron still resting an arm at her back, the other hand holding hers, Hermione had to fight down the urge to cry again. She'd done enough of that in the past few days and, quite frankly, she was sick of it.

Finally reaching the couch, she slowly sat and it was then that she noticed the slightly bloody bandage wrapped around Ron's arm. Frowning with guilt, Hermione bit her lip. "I'm sorry. I was supposed to help you with that." she mumbled. Ron chuckled.

"Yes, Hermione. How dare you faint and leave me to my own devices." he replied sarcastically, feigning an outraged look. Smiling slightly, Hermione lowered her head in mock shame. "Anyway, now that your awake, let's get _you _sorted out." he continued, reaching for the kidney dish and refreshing the water.

"Now, what's wrong with your ribs?" he asked. Flushing slightly, Hermione shook her head. "I think they're just bruised from when he tackled me." she replied, hoping he wouldn't press the matter. They hurt something shocking but there wasn't a lot they could do about it.

"Can I, uh, see?" he asked awkwardly, hoping that she wouldn't take offence. Averting her gaze, Hermione tried to think of an excuse to avoid the no-doubt uncomfortable situation that they were setting themselves up for.

Seeing her hesitation, Ron tried to think of a way to make it less awkward. "I won't _look_, I just want to look." he continued, realising that he'd made little sense but still hoping she'd understand. Sighing as deeply as her injuries would allow, Hermione nodded.

Self-consciously, she turned her back to him and took her jacket off, before lifting the hem of her singlet top to expose her waist. Hearing Ron's sharp intake of breath, Hermione held her own, not knowing what had prompted the sound.

"Is it bad?" she asked nervously, her words holding a double meaning that she hoped he wouldn't pick up on. _As he said, he's not looking. Try to keep the hormones under wraps, Hermione!_ She jumped slightly as his fingers gently brushed her ribcage, his skin cool and soothing to the bruised and tender flesh.

"Not as bad as I thought it'd be, but still not good." he replied, forcing himself to keep his voice level. His heart was thumping so loud he was sure she could hear it. The smooth skin of her midriff was a pale shade of peach but as it went higher, the alabaster blended with dark red and blue, creating a mottled canvas on what should have been clear skin.

"Sorry if I hurt you, but I need to see if there are any breaks." he stated quietly, pressing slightly harder as his hands roamed over her skin. Hearing her sporadic gasps of pain, Ron hated himself but knew that it had to be done. _It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it, right?_ his mind teased, causing Ron to growl softly in the back of his throat. _Yeah, like I'm getting any pleasure out of this._ he shot back angrily. Under different circumstances, maybe. But not when she was hurt like this.

Hearing his growl, Hermione looked back over her shoulder, wondering at the sound. Seeing his face creased into a frown, she had to beat down the panic rising in her chest. _It must be pretty bad. _she thought to herself. "Tell me, doctor, will I ever walk again?" she asked in mock distress, trying to lighten the mood.

Starting at the sound of her voice, Ron looked up from his intense study and allowed himself a grin. "It's a waiting game." he replied, laying his palm flat against her side as he checked the other side. She moaned quietly and he withdrew his hands hastily. "Sorry!" he winced, misinterpreting the sound.

"No! It didn't hurt." she replied hurriedly, praying that, from his current position, he couldn't see the blush that was creeping up her neck and cheeks. "It felt nice. Your hands are cold." she continued. "Now I know how you felt before."

Ron had to fight to suppress the grin that was trying to break free and the blush that was trying to stain his own cheeks. Taking a deep breath and watching her for any signs of discomfort, he tentatively pressed his hand back to her side, delighted when she sighed softly and trembled slightly at his touch.

Her skin was velvet smooth and he had to resist the urge to move his hand further. _Under different circumstances, remember? _his inner voice cut in. Shaking his head slightly to clear his thoughts, he reached for the bandages, still keeping his hand in contact with her ribs.

Hermione was lost in her own thoughts. She was relishing in his touch. His cool hands resting on her burning skin was a heavenly feeling. She closed her eyes and concentrated on keeping her breathing even, her heart rate steady. It wasn't an easy task.

Hearing Ron shift behind her and feeling something unfamiliar and rough against her stomach, Hermione's eyes snapped open and she looked down. Ron had fetched a bandage and was preparing to wrap it around her. _He must have longer arms than I thought, _she thought absently.

Glancing back over her shoulder, she was startled to find that he was a lot closer than he had been, his chest brushing against her back. "Sorry, but I think we should bandage them, just in case." he murmured, searching her face for protest. Nodding, Hermione turned to look ahead and braced herself for what would no doubt be a painful experience.

As gently as he could, Ron proceeded to bind her ribs, being sure to keep the bandages tight but not too tight, an even amount of pressure the whole way round. Every time his fingers brushed her stomach, Hermione's breathing would hitch slightly and Ron would flush. Finally, though, the bandage came to its frayed end and Ron tucked it into his wrapping.

Hermione thought she would die from the sheer relief of the ordeal being over. Reaching up to pull her top back down, she found Ron's hands already there. Looking back at him again, she noticed that he was blushing but none of his awkwardness was showing in his expression. He met her gaze steadily as he pulled her shirt back down over the bandages, before gently placing his hands on her sides and turning her around.

"Now for your face." he said softly, reaching for the kidney dish of water and some gauze. "I'll do what I can but I'm not a miracle worker."

Hermione snickered sarcastically. "You're hilarious, Ron. Really." she replied, rolling her eyes, but unable to keep from smiling slightly. In truth, she was very grateful that he'd found a way to ease the tension that had built between them.

Gently wiping the dried blood and dirt from her cheeks, Ron's chest tightened as the firelight lit her injuries clearly. He worked in silence, apologising now and then when she winced. Eventually, Ron lowered the gauze and inspected her critically before nodding in satisfaction.

Hermione watched him almost curiously as he cleaned her wounds, his stoic expression giving nothing away. Clearing his throat slightly, Ron dropped his gaze and put the kidney dish on the table, which was now void of food. "All done." he stated, turning back to her with a satisfied, if somewhat uneasy, smile.

"You missed a bit," she whispered, regretting it almost immediately. Ron's brow creased in confusion as his eyes wandered over her face, trying to find anything he'd overlooked, before they finally came to rest on her lips. A look of comprehension dawned on his face and he reached for a fresh piece of gauze, dipping it in the water. Cupping her face in one hand and using it to turn her towards the fire so he could see, Ron gently brushed the dampened gauze over her lip.

"Done?" he asked, returning his gaze to Hermione's eyes, which hadn't left his. She nodded slightly, struggling to breath steadily. Ron nodded once, placing the gauze on the table, fully aware that his hand was still resting on her jaw and he felt absolutely no inclination to move it.

Meeting her eyes once more, Ron realised that his heart had picked up pace somewhere along the line and that, judging by the thrumming under his hand, Hermione's had too. He wanted nothing more than to lean forward and press his lips to hers and, apparently, neither did she. _So, what's stopping you? _came the voice in his head. _Unless, you don't want it to stop at just a kiss? If you can't have the whole lot, you don't want any? _Ron clenched his jaw. If the voice had a body, at the moment, Ron would be flogging the hell out of it.

Dropping his head and his hand, Ron sighed. "We should go to bed." he mumbled, leaning away from her. Hermione leaned away as well, turning toward the fire, furious at herself and at the humiliated blush working its way across her face. She had been so sure that he was going to kiss her!

"You're right." she murmured, still gazing at the flames and hating herself for sounding so dejected. Misinterpreting her tone, Ron rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "I'll sleep on the couch, if you want." he suggested, hoping that he hadn't insulted her.

"Well, it's a king bed, so I'm sure we'll both fit. And besides," she continued, trying to rid her voice of the desperation that was so evident, "I don't really want to be alone. After what happened last time…"

"Ok." Ron nodded and got to his feet, holding out his hand to help her up. Hermione took the offer, but dropped his hand as soon as she was on her feet, still avoiding his gaze. She was too embarrassed to look at him. Too afraid of seeing his disapproval at the way she'd acted. Like a scarlet woman…

"Hermione? What's the matter?" he queried, peering at her in concern. She met his gaze quickly with a short, small smile, before dropping both and shaking her head. Frowning, Ron reached for her arm.

Pulling out of his reach, she turned and began walking to the bed. "Hermione!" he called after her, following. She stopped and spun around to face him. "I'm tired, Ron. If you hadn't noticed, we've been through a bit of an ordeal and that can take its toll on one's mental health." she snapped, regretting her words as she saw the shock flash across his face. It was short-lived.

"Well, if _you _hadn't noticed, Hermione, I'm the one who hasn't slept yet. You at least got an hour in!" he shot back, also regretting _his _words. It wasn't her fault. "Why are you so angry all of a sudden?"

"I'm angry because I'm tired and hungry and hurt and I still can't quite believe we're still alive!" she folded her arms, glaring at him. "I didn't fail to notice the lack of food. When you said you had first dibs, I assumed you'd at least leave some for me!" she cried.

"What! I didn't even eat any! I was too worried about you!" he snarled back, taking a step closer to her. She rolled her eyes sceptically, shaking her head. "Guess what, Hermione. _I'm _tired, _I'm _hungry, _I'm_ hurt and _I _can't believe we're alive either!"

Hermione scowled back at him, unable to come up with a response. Rolling her eyes again, and knowing she'd sound like Lavender Brown but not caring, she uttered the most pointless phrase known to man: "Whatever, Ron."

He knew he was being ridiculous but he didn't care. Ron rolled his eyes, mimicked her stance and, putting on a ridiculously whiny voice, repeated her words. " '_Whatever, Ron!_'"

Scoffing, Hermione rolled her eyes again and turned on her heel, stalking towards the bed. "Real mature reply, Ronald!" she called over her shoulder. Heaving an angry sigh, he followed after her, catching up with her in two strides. Grasping her shoulder and spinning her around to face him, he ignored the look of indignation on her face. "You want a mature reply?" he growled.

Cupping the back of her head in one hand and her neck in the other, Ron crushed his lips against hers roughly. He felt a twinge of doubt when he heard her make a sound of protest and felt her try to pull back, but she'd wanted a mature reply out of him, so she'd get one.

He could taste blood from the cut on her lip and suddenly realised that he must be hurting her. Pulling back, still cradling her head in his hands, he studied her intently, panting.

Hermione's eyes were closed and she, too, was breathless. A light flush coloured her cheeks, whether from the argument or the kiss, he wasn't sure. There was a slight frown on her face. Ron felt guilt ripple through him at the sight of the blood on her lips, the taste of it on his. He was beginning to regret acting so harshly.

Slowly, her eyes flickered open. They slid lazily over his face as she tried to focus. Blinking a few times, she finally succeeded. Ron watched as her tongue snaked out to taste the blood that she could no doubt feel was there. Suddenly, he realised that he had been too rough with her.

"I'm sorry." he muttered breathlessly, releasing his hold on her and taking a step back. Hermione's face creased in confusion, prompting Ron to continue. "I'm supposed to be protecting you and I just seem to keep getting you hurt."

Hermione shook her head. "I'm not hurt, Ron. Just a little…dazed." Ron cocked an eyebrow sceptically, eyeing her bruised face and bandaged ribs. "At least I'm still alive." she continued. She studied him, really _looked _at him, for the first time since they'd left the Burrow. He'd been right. He was just as bad as she was.

He looked pale and drawn, dark circles under his eyes backing up his claim about not sleeping. Her eyes travelled to his arm, which had begun to bleed again, the bright liquid now seeping through the white bandage. They trailed down his defined forearm, coming to rest on his hands. The hands that had shown such tenderness with her wounds, yet had beaten a man to pulp. Testament to that were his knuckles, which were swollen and an angry red colour.

Sighing, Hermione took a step towards him, closing the distance that he'd created. Reaching out, she gently took his hand in hers, running her fingers lightly over his knuckles. "I'm sorry. I yelled at you." she murmured, shifting her gaze to his curious and slightly wary face. "I haven't even _thanked _you and I yelled at you." She shook her head before raising his hand to her lips and pressing a soft kiss to them. "Thank you, Ron."

Releasing his hand, she leaned up on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his shoulders tightly, squeezing her eyes shut against the tears that, once again, were trying to form. Ron hesitated for a moment, before wrapping his arms as tightly as he dared around her waist. "You're welcome." he whispered, turning slightly and pressing a kiss to her hair.

"Come on," he loosened his hold on her. "Let's go to sleep." Nodding, Hermione let go and turned to the bed, blushing at the thought of how the bare skin of Ron's arms had felt against her own. With a sigh, she sat on the bed and leaned against her pillow, watching Ron walk around to the other side of the bed, kicking his shoes off before also sitting.

_Now the awkwardness kicks in_, Ron thought to himself. He, too, leaned up against his pillows, willing to sit up for as long as Hermione wanted to. They sat in silence for a few minutes, each hoping the other would break it. Finally, Hermione cleared her throat.

"Ron?" she started hesitantly. He turned to look at her and she looked away, suddenly very nervous. "I was just wondering…" _Why do you keep kissing me?_ "…do you think there'll be more food when we wake up?" she finished, closing her eyes in annoyance at her inability to ask what she actually _wanted _to know. Opening her eyes again, she looked back at him to see his confused and somewhat questioning stare. "Probably, why's that?" he asked, still watching her with careful eyes. Shrugging, she stretched out a finger and began to trace patterns on the quilt covering her knees. "Curious." she replied quietly.

Ron nodded before turning to face her more fully. "Hermione?" he waited until she looked at him before he continued. "What were you _really_ going to ask?" _Busted!_ the voice in her mind cheered. Dropping her gaze to her hands again, Hermione shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about." she mumbled, fully aware of his incredulous 'how-stupid-do-you-think-I-am?' expression.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione squeezed her eyes shut, braced her hands on her knees, leaned her head back and gave in. "I was going to ask you why you keep kissing me." she rambled hurriedly, as though saying it faster would lessen the awkwardness. It didn't.

Ron was silent for a few minutes, apparently contemplating the question. "Sorry." he replied finally. "I'll stop." Hermione's eyes popped open and she turned her head so quickly she practically broke her neck. "No!" she cried, wincing at the desperation evident in her voice. "No," she repeated in a more calm tone, "I don't mind, I was just wondering why."

Ron fixed her with a slightly amused and somewhat disbelieving stare. "You really don't know?" he asked. She just looked back at him in mild embarrassment and curiosity. "I would've thought you'd have figured it out by now." he chuckled, trying to cover his own embarrassment. "It's only been 7 years." This last part was mumbled so low, Hermione wasn't sure if she'd heard him correctly.

"What?" she asked blankly. Ron sighed impatiently, before turning to face her.

"Think, Hermione. In first year, why do you think I went up against a mountain troll? To save you.

In second year, why do you think I went up against a whole forest of gigantic spiders? To save you. Why do you think I hexed Malfoy? To defend you!

In third year, why do you think I hated Crookshanks? Because you wouldn't hear a bad word against him and you just assumed I was in the wrong.

In fourth year, why do you think I was so horrible at the Yule Ball? Because I hated seeing the way you looked at Krum, and the way he looked at you!

In fifth year, why do you think I always teased you about S.P.E.W? Because I loved seeing you get so passionate about something!

In sixth year, why do you think I said _your _name in the hospital wing? Because I was dreaming about you!

And this year, why do you think I broke the rules to come and get you, went up against Death Eaters for you, practically killed a man for you, and went without _food _for you!"

Through his little tirade, Hermione's eyes had steadily gotten bigger and bigger, her mouth had opened wider and wider, her breathing more and more rapid. By the time, he'd finished, tears were again streaming down Hermione's face. "Why?" she whispered, hardly daring to hope.

With a groan, Ron stood and made to walk away. Getting up quickly to follow him, Hermione cried out slightly from the pain in her ribs. Ron turned at this. "Are you ok?" he asked, concern evident on his face. Holding a hand to her ribs and frowning, Hermione shook her head. "Don't change the subject! Why did you do all those things?" she pressed. Letting out a frustrated growl, Ron slammed his hands to his head. "How can you not get this yet!" he moaned. "Get what?" she cried in exasperation.

Spinning around, he charged over to Hermione, who took a step back in alarm. Gripping her shoulders, Ron shook her slightly in aggravation. "I love you, ok!"

**Another long chapter! Yay! Not sure how well I handled the recap of Ron and Hermione moments from each year, but there's only one way to find out. Please R&R! Love y'all! XOXO**


	27. Chapter 27

**Holy shit! Get your delay on! I am so sorry for taking so long to upload! I kept reading, adjusting, reading, adjusting…Lordy, I'm surprised I ever got this out! I hope y'all like it!**

There was a moment of stunned silence. Hermione blinked, her expression one of blank incomprehension. Her blood was roaring in her ears, convincing her that she had most definitely misheard Ron's words.

She could still feel his hands holding her arms tightly. She could still see his exasperated, if slightly flushed, face. She could still hear his confession ringing in her ears, but was unable to make the distinction between reality and her imagination.

After all, she had imagined it. Ron wouldn't say that. Would he?

_Hey, Brainiac. He, uh, just did. _the quiet voice in her mind chimed in. _And you're standing here like an idiot, gaping at him. Say something back!_

Blinking again and swallowing hard, Hermione dropped her gaze, frowning in confusion. This was a dream. It _had _to be. Looking back up into his slightly embarrassed but mostly determined face, she realised that he was watching her carefully.

"Really?" she whispered, her voice so quiet that he had nearly missed it. Ron gently released her arms, moving his hands up to cup either side of her jaw.

"You know, for the cleverest witch in our year, you can be really thick sometimes." he murmured, studying her eyes intently. Inwardly grinning at the indignant look stealing across her face, Ron leaned forward and gently pressed his lips to hers, this time mindful of her cut.

After a moment, he pulled away. Hermione kept her eyes closed and allowed a small, shy smile to touch her lips. Finally opening her eyes, she found him, once again, studying her carefully. Feeling her cheeks heat up pleasantly, Hermione let her smile widen a little more.

"You're not the fastest broom in the shed yourself, Ron." Seeing his eyebrow cock in confusion, and realising that she loved it when he did that, Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Ronald!" she sighed in mock frustration.

Resting one hand on his chest and the other on his cheek, Hermione leaned up and kissed his smiling lips softly. Slowly, the kiss deepened, eliciting low, breathy moans from both of them.

Allowing the hand that was resting on his chest to slide over his shoulder and around the back of his neck, Hermione couldn't help the breathless giggle that escaped against his lips as she felt his own arms wrap gently around her waist and lift her slightly, lessening the height difference.

Ron felt himself grinning back. Kissing Hermione was nothing like kissing Lavender. She had been all tongue, rough and over-enthusiastic. Not all together a pleasant experience. However, Hermione was soft, slow and sweet, yet still passionate enough to make his heart race.

Gradually, the kiss became even more passionate, bordering on frenzied. Feeling her hands clutching at his hair and neck caused Ron to groan throatily and lift her a little more, her feet now hanging a foot off the ground.

Hermione moaned in response, clinging tighter and wrapping her legs around his. All she could feel, taste, smell, hear, was Ron. She felt as though if she pulled away, her heart would stop beating and might never start again.

Ron's heart was pounding at a ridiculous rate. He could barely believe that it was still behind his ribs and not beating around the room. He adjusted his grip on Hermione and decided that he didn't ever want to let her go again. She felt safe here. If he let her go, he felt as though anything and everything could and _would _hurt her. _I'll just have to never let go, then._

Detaching his mouth from hers, he reattached it to her neck, just under the shelf of her jaw. Feeling her pulse beating violently against his lips and her breathless half-gasp, half-moan caused something to snap within him.

Suddenly, he found himself striding purposefully towards the bed, Hermione still in his arms. Reaching the side, he knelt on the mattress, carefully leaning down, one hand supporting her head, until she was lying beneath him.

Pulling away, he watched her flushed, panting face with a strange sense of pride. Her lips were swollen, slightly upturned in a tiny smile, her eyes still closed, her eyebrows drawn together in a slight frown at the effort to draw in a full breath, her chest heaving. She had never looked more beautiful.

Feeling his stare, Hermione opened her eyes. Ron was just as flushed and breathless as she was, his hair in complete disarray from her wandering hands. He was supporting most of his weight on one arm, his forearm resting next to her head, while his other hand still cupped the back of her head. Allowing her eyes to travel down his supporting arm, fully appreciating the lean muscles showing under the skin, her gaze came to rest on his hand, curled loosely into a fist.

Returning her eyes to his face, she realised that he had leant closer during her scrutiny and they were now almost nose-to-nose. Her hands now resting on his shoulders, he leaned in and pressed his lips firmly to hers.

The kiss quickly resumed its previous fervour, gentle moans drifting from Hermione's lips as soft groans came from Ron's. Sliding his hand from under her head, he allowed it to slowly travel down over her shoulder and down her side, taking extra care to be gentle with her ribs.

Pulling back again, Ron smiled at the tiny moan of disappointment that escaped her lips and the tiny pout that overtook them before frowning. Again opening her eyes, Hermione was slightly confused by his expression. _Did I do something wrong?_ she thought in a panic.

However, seeing the way his eyes were now travelling over her face, Hermione recognised the frown, not as displeasure, but as remorse.

With a sad sigh, Ron withdrew his hand from her side, instead brushing her bruised cheek gently with his fingers. Cupping her jaw again, he pressed a soft kiss to the tender flesh. Pulling back slightly, he moved to another bruise.

Again and again, he brushed his fingers gently across her injured face before pressing his lips to each and every bruise and scratch, and as he kissed her cut lip once more, Hermione could swear that none of it hurt as badly anymore.

Gripped by a sudden impulse, she reached up and grasped his hand, pulling it down until his fingers touched her ribs, fixing him with a nervous yet determined stare.

He was looking at her with an expression that was both hesitant and pleading, as if his eyes were asking her permission for something. Biting her lip slightly, realising just how nervous she was now, she nodded faintly.

Sitting up slightly, to relieve his arm of his weight, Ron gently grasped the hem of her singlet top and, slowly, giving her time to stop him if she wanted to, he lifted it up over her stomach, exposing the white bandage that had come loose. Dropping his gaze to her stomach, Ron pushed the bandage up a little until he could see the dark, mottled flesh beneath.

Looking back up at Hermione, he saw that one hand was clutching a clump of her hair and the other was resting over her eyes. Both were trembling. Reaching up and gently pulling the hand over her eyes down, he covered it with his own, interlocking their fingers, before giving her a reassuring smile, which she shakily returned.

Dropping his gaze back to her ribs, he slowly leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to the sensitive skin, relishing in the uneven sigh that was expelled from her lips. Lifting the bandage a little more, Ron kissed slightly higher.

Hermione couldn't keep from trembling. Ron's soft, almost non-existent kisses on her ribcage were slowly driving her insane. She wasn't sure if they were going too fast. Whether she had the guts to go further. Whether she had the strength to stop. She was lost in a soft, shimmering haze of bliss until Ron's hand brushed gently, and most certainly, accidentally against her breast.

"_You're not getting out of this."_

The Death Eater's oily voice filled her head, as memories from the attack flew into her mind, bombarding her with a deluge of sickening flashes. The pain, the fear, the feel of his rough hands moving over her body, the helplessness she felt, not being able to stop it.

"_This is happening, whether you want it to or not."_

With an almighty gasp, Hermione tore her hand from Ron's and shoved against his chest, using the action to both push him back and help her scoot away from him. Shocked, Ron rocked back onto his knees, his hands held out in surrender in front of him.

"I'm sorry!" he panted, watching her with worried eyes. She was pushing herself as far back as she could against the headboard, not quite meeting his gaze. Her eyes were sparkling with tears and her chest was heaving. "I'm sorry," he repeated, lowering his hands slightly as she looked at him. "I thought it was ok. I shouldn't have pushed you."

Hermione shook her head, causing a few of the tears that were blurring her vision to fall. "No, it's ok. I thought I could but…" she trailed off, wringing her hands nervously, fixing Ron with an apologetic stare. "It reminded me of…what happened. Sorry." she finished quietly, dropping her gaze to her hands.

Ron frowned slightly, shifting a little closer. "You have nothing to apologise for, Hermione." he stated firmly, reaching out to still her hands. "I'm the one who went too far." _Yep, and now she's terrified of you! _the voice in his mind scolded. Going to withdraw his hand, Ron had to resist the urge to internally grin in triumph when he felt her fingers latch onto his and halt his movement. _Terrified, huh? _he thought back.

"No, it's not your fault." she mumbled. "You were trying to make me feel better." Letting out a sad sigh and brushing her tears away, she moved her gaze up to his face again. He was studying her carefully, his features concerned and slightly sad.

Tightening his hand around hers momentarily, he shifted closer again. "Look, we're both tired." he began softly. "Let's get some sleep and we'll figure out who's fault it was in the morning, when our heads are clearer."

Hermione nodded, slipping her feet under the sheets and wriggling down until just her head was above the blankets. Ron nodded in reply and slid into bed next to her, sure to leave about a foot of space between them, so as not to alarm her.

"Goodnight, Hermione." he murmured resting his hands under his head and staring at the ceiling. There was a moment's silence and Ron felt hurt bubbling up in his chest at her lack of response.

Hermione could feel the hesitation trying to hold her still, but finally, with an impatient sigh, she closed the distance between them and curled up against his side, her hands curled under her chin and her head resting on his chest.

Grinning softly, he pulled his hand from under his head and let his arm drape comfortingly around her shoulder, holding her securely to his side.

A small smile touched her lips as she instantly felt better. "Goodnight, Ron." she whispered back.

Looking down at her with an almost wondering expression, Ron's lips twitched into a lopsided grin. "Love you." he whispered experimentally. Hermione's smile widened slightly and she wriggled a little closer.

"Love you, too."

Wrapping his other arm around her, Ron grinned as she moved closer still. Sighing contentedly, glad that it was finally out in the open, Hermione closed her eyes and, lulled by the steady beat of his heart and the even rise and fall of his chest, drifted into a peaceful and pleasant slumber.

**So, what did y'all think? Was it too cheesy-pie? Or just plain ol' poo-on-a-stick? Let me know! Much love! XOXO**


	28. Chapter 28

**Shit yeah, guys! MAD quick update! And just by the way…Holy crap! I'd like to thank you all so much for the reviews. I'm so glad people are still enjoying this story! Also, a special shout-out to Samara, my fellow Aussie! Your reviews were so very encouraging and they made me smile so big. Thanks, man! This chapter is dedicated to Jennifer, but only if you like it. If you think it's shit, please disregard the dedication. ^-^ Anyway, here we go! Chapter 28!**

Slowly, and extremely grudgingly, Hermione stirred into consciousness. The bed was warm and soft, the sheets wrapped securely around her form, her head resting on the plush down pillow. With a contented sigh, she lay still, listening to the comforting silence of the Room of Requirement, not a whisper disturbing the stillness.

For a moment she couldn't figure out what was wrong with that. Straining her ears and holding her own breath, she listened for the steady breathing that had lulled her to sleep.

Nothing.

With a start, her eyes shot open and she sat up. Looking around, she saw that the other side of the bed was empty. "Ron!" she cried in alarm. Kicking the sheets from around her ankles, she stood and surveyed the Room, searching for a sign of him. Finding nothing, panic began to take over.

"Ron!" she called again, the tears welling up in her eyes making themselves audible in her voice. Nervously wringing her hands, she began to pace. _What should I do?_ she thought desperately. Had she dreamt the whole thing? Had she only imagined that Ron had been with her? The Room that had seemed so warm and safe and inviting the night before now seemed barren, cold and foreboding.

She had almost convinced her still half-asleep mind that she had, in fact, made it the whole way to Hogwarts by herself, when the door swung open. Her heart leaping in her chest, she spun around. But instead of Ron's smiling face, she saw the pale, sallow glare of one Severus Snape.

Her heart now resting somewhere around her ankles, she tried to draw breath but the absolute terror that had taken over her prevented this. _They were supposed to be _safe _here!_

She watched with horrified eyes as Snape swept into the Room, swiftly closing the door behind him with a resounding and horribly final _thud_.

"Miss Granger." he greeted quietly, his expression and tone revealing nothing of his intentions. Ensuring to maintain eye contact, Hermione began sweeping the Room in her mind for any kind of escape route or defence. Stupidly, she'd been too caught up in trying to find a clue as to Ron's disappearance that she'd left her wand by the bed. While it was only less than two metres away, it may has well have been back at the Burrow, for all the good it was to her now.

During her musings, Snape had stepped further into the Room, now only a mere few feet separating them. With a gasp, Hermione stumbled back, trying to regain the distance. Crying out as she tripped over one of her discarded shoes, she twisted in the air trying to brace herself for the impact with the floor, forgetting entirely about her ribs.

As she landed, one arm found its way under her, her elbow jabbing painfully at her bruised side. Paralysed with pain and fear, she simply laid there, eyes squeezed shut in defeat, waiting for the green flash that would signify the end of her life.

It didn't come.

Instead, she felt a hand at her back, another wrapped gently around the arm that wasn't pinned beneath her. Slowly, she was pulled into a sitting position. Snape crouched before her, something akin to concern on his usually deadpan face. "Careful, Miss Granger. Mr. Weasley tells me you're quite badly injured." he chided softly, casting his gaze to her ribs before returning it to her face. Confused, Hermione could only stare back.

"Y-You've seen Ron?" she asked breathlessly, still struggling to draw air into her lungs after their painful introduction to her elbow. "Is he okay? Where is he! Why did he leave without telling me!" she blurted out, her mouth hardly able to keep up with her brain's questions.

Holding up a hand to silence her, which succeeded instantly, Snape straightened and held out his hand to pull her up. Glancing from his outstretched hand to his expectant face and back to his hand, Hermione didn't move.

Rolling his eyes in impatience, Snape reached down and grasped her wrist, yanking her, rather more gently than she expected, to her feet. Her heart was beating at a ridiculous rate, the threat of imminent death at the forefront of her mind. Glancing at her wrist, where his long, thin fingers could no doubt feel her rapid pulse, a small smile tweaked the corner of his lips.

"Relax, Miss Granger. I'm not going to hurt you." he murmured, returning his dark eyes to her frightened and, now disbelieving, face. Releasing her wrist, he turned, headed to the darkened fireplace, pulled his wand from his robes and in an instant, a glorious fire was crackling merrily in the hearth, bathing the room in warmth and flickering light.

Turning to look over his shoulder, he saw that Hermione hadn't moved, still staring at him with a mixture of caution, curiosity and disbelief. "You are cold, are you not?" he asked quickly, raising an eyebrow. He watched as she glanced quickly at her arms which were, indeed, covered in goosebumps, before returning her gaze quickly to him, as though afraid he might attack if she looked away. Sighing inwardly, Severus returned his eyes to the flames licking at the bricks of the fireplace.

"Where is your wand, Miss Granger?" he questioned, his eyes not returning to her. Taking a moment to shake herself from the shock that kept her rooted to the spot, Hermione glanced back at the bedside table, where her wand sat, teasing her with its distance.

Looking back at Snape to see if she had time to make a dash for it, she barely suppressed a frightened and somewhat guilty squeak when she saw that his gaze was, again, on her. It shifted momentarily to where her wand lay before he turned back to the fire. "Go and get your wand." he commanded, gently.

Still slightly shocked that she was still breathing, Hermione made her way as quickly to the bed as she could, almost crying with relief when her fingers wrapped around the thin strip of wood. Glancing around once more for an escape route, she slowly crept forward, edging towards the door as quietly as she could, trying to avoid notice.

No dice.

"You're not leaving yet." Squeezing her eyes shut in defeat, Hermione hung her head and fought down the overwhelming urge to cry. _Just my luck, _she thought hopelessly, _I finally tell Ron how I feel, find out how _he _feels, and now Snape is going to kill me. _Turning around sadly, her eyes on the floor, Hermione stood, waiting for Snape to finish her off.

"Come over here, please." came his soft, oily voice. A traitorous tear trickled down her cheek as she obliged, walking over the fire, and coming to a stop a foot or two from his side. The warmth from the fire wrapped around her, as if trying to comfort her in these, her last moments.

Severus watched her watch the fire in silence for a few minutes. Her lower lip was trembling, her eyes getting glassier and glassier. She was, however, battling to keep the tears from falling. One had escaped though, for all her efforts, and it rested on her cheek, glinting in the firelight.

However vehemently he tried to tell himself he was mistaken, the sight broke his heart. Sighing heavily to rid himself of this thought, he reached out for her shoulder, not halting when she flinched. Grasping her gently, he pulled her closer to the fire and, conjuring a stool, he pushed her down into it. As she watched him with wide, wary eyes, he took a moment to fully assess her appearance. Her cheeks were pale under the lashings of bruises and cuts, dark shadows under her eyes. Timmer had done a number on her, that much was certain.

Severus thought back to when he and the other Death Eaters had found their badly beaten ally in the deserted shop. He'd lain there in a puddle of his own blood as he gurgled his account of the events that lead to his current state. Severus had listened, with a secret sense of revulsion, relief and a slight hint of pride, as he heard about Weasley's 'sacrifice' and Granger's admirable struggle to protect herself from Timmer's attack.

When Voldemort had raised his wand, spitting about how Timmer had disappointed him for the last time and how ashamed he should be that he couldn't even finish off a Mudblood, Severus had stomped down the objection he felt rising in his throat at the term and the envy he felt that the Dark Lord should be the one to end Timmer's pitiful existence.

After learning that the two teenagers had escaped into Honeyduke's and, from there, seemingly vanished, Severus had made an excuse to return to the castle and had set about trying to locate them. He knew that the cellar led to the castle and had figured that they'd found solace in the Room of Requirement. It had been pure chance that he'd spotted Weasley trying to sneak down to the kitchens.

After a furious wand fight that, needless to say, Severus had won, he finally managed to convince the younger wizard to wait for him in his dungeon while he fetched Hermione. It took a lot of reassuring on his part that he, in fact, meant them no harm and that he should be alone when he did this. He had a few matters to discuss with her that he did not wish anyone else to bear witness to.

Drawing himself back to the present and her questioning gaze, Severus knelt before her, studying her wounds critically. "I will need to see your ribs, Miss Granger." he ordered, fixing her with an unwavering stare. Hermione flushed furiously at this. It had been different with Ron. Awkward because of the unspoken feelings between the two. This was just downright uncomfortable. Mortifying. Snape was a teacher! A grown man! She cast around for an excuse to avoid this but, coming up short and seeing his steadfast resolve, she caved and with as deep a breath as she could draw, lifted her shirt.

Weasley had bound her ribs but, in her sleep, the bandages had come loose, allowing him to glimpse the bruised flesh beneath. Severus felt a need to comfort her at least a bit. Be that as it may, he could have chosen his words more carefully. "He's dead, you know." he murmured as he drew his wand to heal Hermione's ribs. Hearing her gasp and glancing into her horrified eyes, he quickly gestured to her injuries. "Timmer. The Dark Lord killed him."

Hermione felt her heart slowly resume its previous pace and sat still as Snape mumbled incantations under his breath, drawing his wand slowly over her ribs and face. She found herself watching his movements with something akin to admiration. The movements were so graceful, his incantations so soft and melodic, he seemed almost to be singing.

To her surprise, she felt better almost instantly. Finally, Snape put his wand away and stood. "Excuse me, Professor," Hermione began timidly, for Snape had turned back to the fire and was watching the flames, seemingly lost in thought.

"The school term has not begun yet, Miss Granger. I am not, at this moment, your teacher." he interrupted smoothly, not looking up. Dropping her gaze to her toes, she cleared her throat quietly and began again. "Um, _sir_," when he did not object to this, she continued. "Where's Ron? Can I see him?"

Snape merely shook his head slightly. "All in good time, Miss Granger. I have a matter of some importance to discuss with you." However, he showed no intention of beginning said discussion. They sat in silence for a few minutes, Snape watching the fire, Hermione watching him.

"I'm sorry. Sir?" Severus closed his eyes wearily, sensing that she had another question and hoping it was one he would be able to answer without revealing too much.

"I was just curious…why did you help us at the Burrow? And why are you helping us now?" He noted that she had tried to keep her voice as steady and accusation-free as she could. He cursed his luck silently. This was _not _an easy question to answer. He had been rethinking his decision to have this little talk with her, but now, it seemed, it was too late. Her ever-inquisitive nature had made sure of that.

Taking a deep breath, Severus conjured another chair and, pulling it forward so that it faced Hermione dead-on, he sat, his hands folded in his lap. He studied her intently for a moment, trying to think of the best way to explain. He could think of no way of making it easier for her to comprehend, but figured, as the smartest student he had ever taught, there was every possibility of her understanding, regardless of how confusing it might seem.

"I tell you this, Miss Granger, with the condition that you do not repeat a word to anyone. Is this clear?" She nodded her confused head, he sighed again and prepared himself.

"Do you know where my…_dislike_ for Mr. Potter stems from?" Trying to keep the bitterness from his tone, he waited for Hermione's response. Awkwardly, she averted her eyes, before shaking her head no.

"When I was young, before I started at Hogwarts, my best friend in the whole world was a Muggleborn. The only person I could turn to when my home life became too much." he began quietly, staring at the fire again.

Shifting uncomfortably in her seat, Hermione tried to see what this had to do with her, why he was telling her everything. She didn't like Snape in any mood, but she would take furious and mean over this new Snape that she was seeing now, any day. It was so much easier to just think of him as a spiteful, cruel man. But of course he had feelings, he had a past, there had been circumstances that had made him how he was.

And as she sat there, preparing to listen to whatever it was he wanted to tell her, she had no idea just how much she would pity, respect and feel for him at the end.

**Ok, not what you were expecting, I know. Me neither, ey? I was so shocked when Snape appeared instead of Ron but I figured I'd run with it. Because, while J.K. did show that Snape was, in fact, a good person with a tragic past, I wanted to kind of elaborate on that. Anyway, hopefully, ya'll don't mind that Ron hasn't come back yet, but he's fine. Trust me! And Jennifer, I hope you liked this chapter. ^-^ Please R&R! Much love! XOXO**


	29. Chapter 29

**Ok, guys. Just a warning: Snape might be a little, aw hell, a LOT OOC in this chapter, but I've decided that I don't care. I've tried to stay true to the character, but I'm not sure how well I did. Hopefully, y'all don't find it too shithouse!**

There was a moment or two of silence as Severus sat, staring at the fire, trying to think of a way to begin. Glancing Hermione's way, he almost smiled at the look of concentration and rapt attention on her face. He had to fight the urge to remind her that this was not a lesson and she would not be graded on it. How she reminded him of _her. _He still wasn't sure that he wanted to share his story with the young girl sitting before him but chose to look at it as a second chance. A chance to do what he hadn't before.

Taking a deep, fortifying breath, he began.

"As you well know, Miss Granger, I attended Hogwarts at the same time as Lily and James Potter." As he shifted his eyes to her for confirmation, he was startled and somewhat angered by the look of sad confusion on her face, though he hid it well. He had thought he'd managed to say Lily's name in an emotionless voice, trying to keep the sorrow he felt from his tone but, apparently, he'd failed.

Waiting for her hesitant nod, he continued. "And, as I'm sure you know, James and I did not get along." Seeing her drop her gaze in what he was sure was her way of saying that she thought _that _was a bit of understatement, Severus smirked. "Rather, we despised each other. We had much the same relationship as Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy. Although, it was not petty arguing with no basis." Seemingly lost in his thoughts again, his black eyes returned to the fire.

Hermione sat quite still, waiting for him to continue. However, when he remained silent, she shifted slightly. "I'm sorry, sir. Why did you not get on?" she asked quietly, and somewhat hesitantly, afraid that he would suddenly snap. She had never heard him speak for so long, or in such a civil tone. Indeed, she had never seen him act this way and, to be honest, it frightened her.

Not looking at her, a small smile touched the corner of his lips, the firelight reflected in his eyes. Eyes that seemed to soften and almost glow with a devastating sadness. Hermione felt tears prickling at her own eyes. She blinked furiously until the feeling subsided.

"It was all because of my best friend in the whole world. The smartest, albeit, Muggleborn, witch in our year. Lily Evans." Dropping his gaze to his folded hands, he laughed slightly, little more than expulsion of air through his nose.

Hermione was shocked, staring wide-eyed and open-mouthed at the man before her. Severus Snape was best friends with Harry's mother? She sat in silence, also, trying to process this. Was that the reason he had hated James so much? Why he hated Harry? She was suddenly aware that Snape was looking at her, something akin to shame on his face. Blushing furiously, she dropped her gaze, the horrible realisation that she'd asked these questions aloud causing her stomach to flip nervously. "I'm sorry. I-"

"Yes." Snape answered bluntly. "That was why I hated James. I hated him purely out of jealousy." Getting to his feet, he walked to the fire and leant upon the mantle. Hermione remained sitting, afraid to move, in case he stopped talking. She found, much to her amazement, that she didn't want him to. Mostly curious, she wanted to know what had caused the man standing in front of her to act the way he did, to make the choices he had made.

"James never had to worry about his family judging him on who he was friends with. On who he loved." This last sentence was said softly. So softly, Hermione almost didn't hear it over the crackling of the fire. Snape had loved Lily Potter?

Feeling something tickle her cheek, Hermione brushed her hand across her face, startled to find her fingers wet with tears. Wiping her cheeks hastily, she tried not to look guilty when Snape turned to look at her again. "It gets worse, Miss Granger. Much, much worse." he warned softly, no hint of malice lacing his tone.

Only terrible, terrible sadness.

"I was so mad that they were free to be together, that she'd never know that he wasn't the only one to love her. One night, I overheard a prophecy. It pertained to the birth of a child who would bring about the fall of the Dark Lord. I told the Dark Lord what I'd heard and he prepared to remove the threat. I begged him only to spare her. But I knew he wouldn't. I went to Dumbledore and the Order. Warned them. Asked for their protection. Became a spy." Pausing, he tore his eyes away from Hermione's horrified face, he stared at the floor.

"When I heard of the Potters' deaths, I wanted to die. Much as I'd loathed James, I didn't want him dead. And, of course, Lily's death was devastating. I felt the only way to at least slightly atone for what I'd done was to continue to feign allegiance to the Dark Lord, take up a teaching post at Hogwart's and, when the time came, do all I could to protect Lily's son."

Severus paused for a moment to blink away the unwanted moisture that had clouded his vision. Clearing his throat, he turned to Hermione, who was trying to dry her own eyes surreptitiously. Glancing up at him, she gave an apologetic tweak of the lips before sniffling and dropping her eyes to the floor. She couldn't help it though. The tears wouldn't stop. A wave of devastating sadness had crashed over her, pooling in the deepest corners of her soul.

How hard it must have been for him, learning of Lily's death, seeing Harry growing up in school, a constant reminder of her, of what he'd done. The guilt he must have felt, knowing that it was his jealousy that had been her downfall. She suddenly understood why he acted how he did.

"I suppose you're wondering why I'm telling you this?" he asked, kneeling before her and placing a hand on her knee. He fought the urge to pull his hand back. He wasn't used to comforting people. Hell, it was usually him that caused the _need _for comfort!

However, he ignored the confused and somewhat incredulous look that she fixed on his hand and left it where it was. _A second chance, Severus. _came the small voice of reason in his mind._ That's what this is._ _Don't throw this one away because of your ridiculous pride._

"I'm telling you this, because I see so many of her qualities in you. You actually have rather a lot in common. There is, of course, the heritage. But she was also exceptionally bright, kind-hearted, loyal, and, perhaps, a little too curious for her own good." Seeing the blush rise in her cheeks, he smirked. "Always had to ask questions, always had to know everything."

Giving a breathy laugh, Hermione sniffed again and wiped her cheeks again. "You are my second chance, Miss Granger. You. Mr. Potter. Mr. Weasley. The Golden Trio." he murmured, grasping her chin and lifting her face so that her gaze met his.

"I was horrible to all three of you, and for this I apologise." Ignoring her incredulous look, he continued. "But all three of you, together, reminded me of what I'd lost, what I'd never had.

"Every glare, every look of fear or hatred from Harry, it was as if it were James and Lily. Judging me for what I did." He paused, shaking his head, his hand releasing her face and coming to rest on his own knee.

"Is that why you hate him?" Hermione asked sadly. To her surprise, Snape shook his head harder.

"I do not hate him. I merely envy him, the love his parents felt for him. The love _she _felt for him. The love that eventually saved him."

Hermione dropped her gaze and nodded. "But what about me and Ron? How do we remind you?"

Snape sighed again. "We've already covered how _you _remind me. Although, there is one more thing." Seeing Hermione's questioning look, he smirked. "The way you fight so vehemently with one particular person, just so no one will see the way you really feel. Exactly the way that Lily did with James."

Hermione blushed violently at this and dropped her gaze. Even _Snape _knew? Wow, she really _wasn't _the bright star everyone thought she was.

Clearing her throat, Hermione tried to cover her embarrassment. "A-and Ron?" she stammered, fiddling nervously the hem of her shirt.

"Again, envy." Seeing Hermione's jaw fall open in disbelief, Severus raised an eyebrow. "You children have grown up in such different times to those _I _grew up in. The mere thought of even _befriending _a Muggleborn was practically a crime in certain families. And, of course, I grew up in one of those families. However, Mr. Weasley has been raised by the biggest lot of Muggle-loving blood-traitors around."

Hermione opened her mouth to protest, but there was no malice or harshness in his words, and she felt her outrage fade.

"He was raised with no prejudices. What he lacks in riches, he makes up for with freedom. He is _allowed _to be friends with Muggleborns. He is allowed to _love _a Muggleborn." Again, Hermione blushed and dropped her gaze.

"It was not my intention to make you feel uncomfortable, Miss Granger. I merely felt I owed an explanation and felt you were the most likely to understand and accept it."

Hermione took a deep breath and squeezed her eyes shut, preparing to ask the question that had been on the tip of her tongue for the duration of Snape's talk.

"Are you dying?" she asked quickly, keeping her eyes shut tight as though bracing herself for the reprimand she felt sure was coming. When she wasn't hexed where she sat, she tentatively opened her eyes to see Snape staring at her with a guarded expression. Standing up straight, he resumed his place by the fire.

"I am not in any…_immediate _danger, no. But, Miss Granger," he paused and dropped his gaze. Taking a deep breath, he met her eyes again and Hermione felt a terrible feeling of dread fill her chest.

"I will not survive this war."

**Oh! My poor darling Snape! This chapter made me really sad, actually. I'm not sure how I went expressing what I thought he might be thinking, but what I was thinking about broke my heart. If I have one beef with J.K., it's the fact that she killed Snape. I know, I know, it was the best thing for him, but still, surely she could've found a way for him to survive! *sigh* Anyway, please R&R! Let me know how I did! Also, the next chapter is typed and rarin' to go, so if I get enough reviews, I'll update super-fast! ^-^ Much love! XOXO**


	30. Chapter 30

**Hey all! Chapter 30! Holy Hell And nearly 4,000 words! PB, I believe. I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed. Especially Vrajitor Creier. Your review was a little on the short side (but really, really not!) but it made me very happy! And don't worry, no SS/HG in this here story. (Sorry to anyone who was holding out for it.) So I dedicate this chapter to you! Hope it's not shit. I don't like dedications because if the chapter's dildos, I'm scared the dedicatee…? yeah, dedicatee will take it as a personal attack. So I dedicate this possibly-dildos chapter to you, with the best intentions and the most fervent wishes that it isn't dildos! ^-^ Also, your name is rather hard to say for me (possibly coz I'm a bit of a 'tard), so I hope you don't mind if I call you Jitty. Anyway, enjoy! Also, for jz, hopefully this chapter will clear a few things up for you. ^-^ **

There was a moment of silence, in which Hermione stared at Snape with a horrified, stunned face and he regarded her carefully. Her lip was trembling ever-so-slightly, her eyes wide and somewhat sad. Dropping her gaze to her lap, the stunned expression took on a more troubled air.

Severus watched her closely, his eyebrows drawing together slightly in mild concern. He wasn't sure what reaction he was expecting but it wasn't this. He'd expected more, questions at the very least. _Why won't you survive, Sir? Is there anything we can do? I'm sure there's a book or something with a solution. Just let me dash off to the library! _

He could hear her reply in his head, had almost _predicted_ it! But when she did finally reply, it was with a much less articulate question than he had anticipated.

"Huh?" she asked shakily, returning her gaze to his face. His expression softened with a more pronounced frown when he saw the tears that were, once again, welling in her wide eyes. Her lip was trembling more, now, as the corners of her mouth turned down. Apparently, she was about to burst into full-blown hysterics.

"Miss. Granger, I repeat, I am in no immediate danger. There is still ample time for me to assist yourself and Mr. Weasley in locating Mr. Pot-" He began, in a tone that he hoped had come out more consoling than impatient, but he was cut off when Hermione sobbed and jumped to her feet.

"It's not that!" she cried, pressing her hands to her eyes and taking a deep, shaky breath. When she continued, her voice was choked with tears. Crossing her arms, she seemed to be avoiding his gaze as she fought to suppress the sobs that were making her chest heave, her eyes wandering rapidly around the room, resting on anything but him.

Frowning a little deeper, Severus turned to face her more fully. But before he could even blink, Hermione had launched herself at him, throwing her arms around his waist and burying her face in his chest. Taking a moment to recover from having the wind knocked out of him, Severus could only look down at the top of her bushy head in shock.

"It's not fair!" she cried, her tear-heavy voice now muffled in his robes. "You don't deserve this, Sir! No matter what you did in your past, you should get your chance to redeem yourself!"

Tentatively placing his hand on her shoulder, Severus couldn't think of anything to say. He most _certainly _hadn't expected this. "Miss. Granger…" he began again. Taking a deep breath, Hermione's sobs doubled. He could feel the strain in her back as she tried to compose herself.

"I-I…" she couldn't seem to manage composure. Pressing slightly harder as he slid his hand further around her shoulders, he attempted to calm her.

"I don't _want _you to die!" she sobbed, almost ashamedly.

Severus stared at the top of her head, gently rubbing firm circles over her back. He had no idea what to do or say. A strange feeling was bubbling up in his chest; a tight, almost painful feeling. After a few moments of silence, he was finally able to accurately pinpoint the tightness. Panic.

Never, in all his years of being a Death Eater or a spy for the Order, had the thought of dying frightened him. Oh, sure, he knew that it was extremely likely. He was, after all, no fool. Living such a life of danger could hardly end any other way. One day, his luck was sure to run out. But he'd been able to push such thoughts aside and focus on the task at hand, mainly because he didn't have to worry about anyone else. The most important person in his life was long dead.

But now, this young witch in his arms, sobbing so wretchedly into his chest, had unknowingly made it so much harder. Apparently, someone cared whether he lived or died. He hadn't expected it to have such an effect on him, but it had. Finally, he managed to find his voice.

"Don't you see, Miss. Granger?" he began softly, still drawing his hand over her back. "This _is _my chance to redeem myself. I have sat back and watched for years as three people, more than half my age, have faced terrible dangers and come out on top, if barely."

Slowly, he eased her back so the he could see her tear-soaked face. "And I have had enough of being a coward."

Sniffling and wiping her cheeks, Hermione studied the front of his robes intently, unwilling to look at his face. She was too afraid of what she might find. "You're not a coward," she began half-heartedly, knowing that he would contradict her.

"Who else who had no one to protect would not get more involved, with excuse of biding his time, if not a coward?" he demanded softly, bending slightly so he could look into her eyes.

"You had your reasons." she answered, reluctantly returning his gaze. His face was blurred by her tears and she was somewhat grateful for this, as it obscured any expression he may have had. She didn't want to see what he was feeling written so plainly across his features. She didn't want to observe what conflict may have been bubbling under the surface of his calm façade.

Severus shook his head. "Not reasons, Miss. Granger. Excuses. Flimsy excuses. I swear on everything I have, I will not hide behind them any longer." His voice had grown firm again and he straightened his back, now glaring down at her. The effect was intimidating, to say the least.

Suddenly, Hermione was ashamed of her tears. What reason did she have to cry in front of a man who had lost so much, forsaken so much? Clearing her throat, she wiped the last few tears from her cheeks and nodded. "So you'll help us." she affirmed, managing to suppress the tremor in her voice.

Smiling ever-so-slightly, Severus nodded. "But first, I believe there is an angry Weasley in my office, and I'd like to preserve whatever hasn't yet been broken by his rage."

Hermione's heart jumped. She'd almost forgotten about Ron! Wiping her eyes again and straightening her hair, she cleared her throat nervously.

"Let's go."

As Severus opened the door to the Room of Requirement and stepped back for Hermione to exit first, she peered cautiously around the doorframe, checking the coast was clear. Jumping slightly at his hand on her back, she turned to look up at him over her shoulder.

"There's no one in this castle who shouldn't be here," he stated gently, before raising an eyebrow at her. "Aside from yourself and Mr. Weasley, of course."

Smiling slightly, Hermione nodded before stepping out into the corridor. Snape swept out behind her, closing the door before starting off down the corridor, heading for the dungeons. Trotting along behind him, Hermione couldn't help but compare the Snape she _thought _she knew to the one that she had just seen.

Watching him stride through the castle, his robes billowing behind him, it was so easy to see him simply as the foul-tempered, cruel Potions master. If she was honest, she wasn't sure which she preferred.

So lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice they'd reached the dungeons or that he'd stopped until she ran into him. Instantly, she jumped back. "I'm sorry, sir. I wasn't watching where I was going." she mumbled, her gaze at her feet.

Snape said nothing, instead regarding her with a mildly curious stare. Hermione looked up at him apologetically, and was slightly confused by the look of weary apprehension on his face. She barely had time to analyse his expression before he closed his eyes, took a deep breath and opened his office door.

Hermione didn't have a chance to get her bearings before there was a gasp and she was pulled roughly against a heaving chest. Stunned into paralysis, she could only stand there, listening to the steady, if rather more rapid than was natural, thump of the heart behind said chest.

Finally, she picked up the scent and realised just who it was that she was crushed so strongly against. With a gasp of her own, she squeezed her eyes shut and wrapped her arms around Ron's waist. She felt him sigh into her hair before he released her. Holding her at arm's length, he looked her over.

"Are you ok?" he asked, studying her intently. Smiling a real smile for the first time in what felt like days, Hermione managed a nod. Ron's face relaxed momentarily before his expressed hardened again as he turned his attention to the man who stood, forgotten, in the doorway.

"What are you going to do to us?" he growled at Snape, stepping forward so that Hermione was slightly behind him. Snape regarded him with a bored look, before stepping into the room and shutting the door.

"Honestly, Mr. Weasley. If I was going to hurt either one of you, don't you think I would have done so when you were separated?" he responded, coolly. Ron snorted at this and pointed to a cut on his cheek that Hermione hadn't noticed before.

"You definitely tried, didn't you?" Ron snapped back. A look something like regret flashed across Snape's face, before the bored look returned.

"Yes, well, that probably wouldn't have happened had I not been forced to defend myself against your sudden inability to keep your wand to yourself."

Smirking slightly at the sheepish look that the young man was trying to keep hidden and the look of disapproval on Hermione's face, Snape strode past the two and seated himself behind his desk.

"You attacked him, Ron?" Hermione chided in an undertone. Ron gave her an incredulous look.

"What would _you _have done if, after the few days that _we've _had, you'd rounded the corner and come face-to-face with _him_?" Ron hissed back as they turned to face the wizard in question.

Severus watched the exchange with mild amusement. "There will be ample time for you two to argue later. But, for now, please stop. We have more pressing matters to discuss." he murmured, gesturing to the two chairs in front of him, indicating for them to sit.

Ron bit back the retort on his tongue and sat, trying desperately not to look like a petulant child. He honestly didn't see what there was to discuss and he really only wanted to get Hermione on her own and ask her what had gone down.

And apologise for leaving her, alone and defenceless. He had thought it would be nice if she could wake up to some delicious, hot food and so had gone down to the kitchens to see what the house-elves had to offer. He hated to admit it but, Snape was right. He _had _jumped the gun. His fear, anger and shock at seeing the man responsible for Dumbledore's murder had pushed its way to the forefront of his mind and had thus negated any chance at rational thought.

This also prevented him from realising, until now, that Snape had really only used disarming spells, when he knew that Snape had more than a few in his repertoire that could have killed him on the spot.

After a brief wand fight, Snape had finally succeeded in disarming him and was able to force him to listen and calm down. Ron had eventually given in and followed Snape into his dungeon, but only after Snape had again pocketed his wand.

There, Ron had grudgingly given a brief account of what had transpired since he and Hermione had fled the Burrow, leaving out, of course, the discovery of their shared feelings. However, somehow, he had the feeling that the man could guess a little at the details that had been omitted from the retelling. He didn't _need _to be able to read minds. Ron's cursed blush said it all.

Snape had listened in silence, unbeknownst to Ron, in awe of the bravery shown by the two teenagers. _They truly are Gryffindors. _he had thought, in mild wonder.

Finally, Ron had talked himself into silence and, after another almost-wand fight, had agreed to let Snape retrieve Hermione from the Room of Requirement.

From the moment the dungeon door had swung shut, Ron had been in agony. Several times, he had attempted to charge after him. However, Snape's locking charm had been too strong to break. For this, a small part of Ron was grateful.

If Hermione _was _in any danger, he would arrive too late to be of any use. And besides, Snape had already proved the superior dueller. So he sat in silence, getting up every now and then to pace angrily, before throwing himself helplessly back into his seat.

Finally, he'd heard footsteps approaching and his heart had leapt into his throat when he could distinguish two sets. When the door had swung open to reveal Hermione, Ron thought he might die from the relief that flooded through him. She looked okay, though her eyes were slightly red and swollen from tears. _What if he'd tortured her? _

Without out thinking about their audience, he had reached forward, almost as though he had to be sure that she wasn't an illusion. That she _was _standing before him, seemingly unharmed. But once he had her held securely against him, he felt as though he could finally draw the breath that he didn't realise he couldn't before.

For the first time, he felt a hint of shame for not trusting Snape. Sure, he had no real reason to, but seeing as how he was now reunited with a very-much alive Hermione, he felt, with some irritation, that he owed the man an apology.

"Now," Snape began, drawing Ron from his thoughts. "As you have already discovered, the Dark Lord has seized control of Hogsmeade. Apparently, he feels that he can no longer trust the Malfoys enough for their manor to be his Headquarters."

Ron and Hermione exchanged incredulous looks at this new tidbit of information. Harry had really hit the nail on the head there. _And there we were, thinking that he was just determined to find fault with all things Malfoy. _Hermione thought, slightly ashamed. To be honest, she didn't think the Malfoys would be _that _far in the inner circle.

"What made him change his mind?" Ron asked, curiosity the dominant tone in his voice. Severus was rather glad for this. It meant that Ron had decided to at least listen, before deciding whether or not to accept the help that was being offered.

"A number of rather crucial details were leaked to the Order," he replied, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the desk before him. "After a few, ahem, _extreme _tests of loyalty, he finally broke Draco." At this there was a moment of silence, in which Hermione and Ron stared at Snape with identical looks of apprehensive horror.

"He killed him?" Ron burst out, disturbed by how opposed he found himself to this idea. Sure, Malfoy was a pain in the ass, but he didn't deserve to be killed, especially not in the way Voldemort was sure to dish it out to a double-crosser.

"No, Mr. Weasley," Snape continued in a softer, much sadder tone. "He was spared, but barely." The relief Ron felt was shocking, to say the least. However, he was sure he would have felt more, had Snape not had such a haunted look on his face. _Perhaps he'd be better off dead? _An image of Malfoy, eyes unfocused and dreamy, entered his head. Would Malfoy end up like Neville's parents?

"The Dark Lord was convinced that Draco had been the one leaking information. He seemed to believe that he had been leaking it to Mr. Potter himself." He paused, looking at the incredulous faces sitting before him, feeling a ripple of slight irritation. "Surely, I do not need to remind you that the Dark Lord is not known for his mental stability."

Hermione closed her mouth, which had fallen open at Snape's words. Her lips had barely met before she opened it again. "So, Malfoy was spared? But surely, Voldemort would have punished him?" she asked, fearing the answer that she somehow knew she'd get.

"Of course. Although, I'm not sure who he was punishing more. Draco, for being what he believed to be a turncoat, or Lucius, for raising such a 'weak' son." Severus' lip curled in distaste. He had been present at Draco's punishment and, regardless of what they'd seen before, he was loathe to divulge the details to his former students.

They could not handle it.

"Suffice it to say," he continued, his voice regaining its detached, almost business-like tone, "that the Dark Lord discovered, too late, that Draco was _not _the one leaking information. Even so, he was disgusted by how easily he had broken him and decided that the weakness must have run in the family. Thus, he decided to move to a new safe-house."

"What happened to the Malfoys?" Ron asked, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. This new concern for Draco was extremely unnerving.

"He left Draco and Narcissa at the Manor. Lucius was ordered to join us in the storming of the Burrow." Snape replied, his voice taking on a sad, tired tone. "Such is the life of a Death Eater."

Hermione's throat seemed to be shrinking. She could feel the tears plaguing her again. She felt physically ill at the thought of anything so horrible happening to Malfoy. Regardless of how he'd treated them, he didn't deserve what it seemed he got. And besides, they'd dished it out just as much.

Swallowing thickly, she glanced at Ron and saw that he seemed to be similarly affected. Returning her gaze to Snape and seeing that he appeared lost in thought, his eyes resting on the table, Hermione cleared her throat gently.

"But, Mr. Malfoy seemed normal when we saw him at the Burrow. Well, normal for _him, _I mean." she finished quietly. Snape's eyes flicked to her and his lips curved in a slightly sad, almost pitying smile.

"Yes, well, Lucius was always a good actor. In our, ahem, _line of work, _you need to be. Anything less can get you killed in a heartbeat." Severus paused, again lowering his gaze. Lucius had taken Draco's punishment very hard, but covered it exceptionally well.

To anyone who didn't know the Malfoys on the level that he himself did, it would appear that Malfoy Snr was entirely unfazed. But Severus knew better. He knew how much their only son meant to them. Narcissa had been utterly devastated when Draco had become a Death Eater. She, too, hid it well.

This was only made possible by the fact that, with Severus' help, Lucius had finally convinced her that it was for Draco's good. It was much safer, at this stage of the war, to appear to support Voldemort than to oppose him. Especially seeing as how the Malfoys had such a high standing with him. In truth, he had lost their loyalty long ago.

When Lucius had seen how badly Severus had taken Lily's death, he had begun to question his beliefs. After the Dark Lord's apparent defeat, Lucius had had time to think more clearly about what the lunatic had been trying to achieve. However, due to the fact that he knew that Voldemort was not defeated for good, he had been unable to atone for his sins.

Yet.

He, like Severus, would bide his time. With any luck, Draco might be able to experience the world without the extreme prejudices that were present in these times. Indeed, the apparent superiority that the Malfoys flaunted so excessively was little more that a ruse.

Secretly, Lucius had agreed to help Severus. He would not take such an active role as the Potions master but, should any unnecessary attention be paid by the Dark Lord or any of his followers, he would do his best to redirect it to someone else.

Never had Severus dreamed that it would somehow find its way to Draco.

Seeing his godson writhe in such agony had been one of the most painful experiences of his life. The way Narcissa had screamed and cried and begged for mercy. The way Lucius' jaw had clenched as he fought to maintain the emotionless mask, only the small tic in his cheek and the slightest of creases between his brows betraying the torture he too was feeling. They were scenes that would surely haunt Severus for the rest of his life.

He was brought back to the present by Ron clearing his throat.

Ron could see the guilt written so plainly across Snape's face. He obviously blamed himself for what had happened to Malfoy. He tried to imagine how he'd feel in that situation. The closest he'd come had been in their first year when Hermione took the blame for the whole troll fiasco. He'd felt horrible when he'd seen the disappointment on McGonagall's face. But, it was a bad example. Obviously, Hermione hadn't been tortured for it.

He tried to imagine _that _feeling but had to stop. It hurt too much. It was this, perhaps, the pain so obviously present in the man opposite him, that helped Ron make the decision to trust him.

"So, Malfoy's at home, safe with his mother?" he asked quietly, no hint of malice or scorn in his tone. At Severus' nod, he nodded as well. "And Voldemort's taken over Hogsmeade." Another nod.

With a heavy sigh, Ron through himself back in his seat and rubbed his face vigorously. "We really need to find Harry." Letting his hands fall back into his lap, he glanced at Hermione before returning his gaze to Snape.

"Can you please help us?"

**Ta-daaaaa! What did y'all think? Yay, Ron! Bein' all sweet and understanding and trusting and lovely! I'm really happy with how this chapter came out, actually. It only took me three days. Three days, guys. Three friggin' days to be happy with this! Sorry about the epic back stories here, too. I just get on a roll and can't stop. I've actually almost convinced myself that J.K. was thinking the same things when she wrote the actual story. LoL, I know. Lame! But still. Anyway, sorry if this didn't go in the direction you were expecting but, that's kinda the idea of twists. Regardless, I hope you all liked it! Especially my dedicatee, the newly named Jitty! (If you do not like me calling you that, please notify me and I will desist.) I just think it's cute! ^-^ Also, jz, I hope this adequately addressed your concern. Ahem. Rambling! Anyway, please R&R! Much love! XOXO**


	31. Chapter 31

**Oh. My. God. Firstly, I would like to apologise profusely for the delay in getting this up! (-****That's what he said!) But seriously folks. I had the next chapter all typed and long and ready to put up (- He also said that.) and my effing computer crashed…thrice! **

**And, of course, because I'd put it in a nice, secure My Safe, when said computer crashed…thrice, I lost any access I had to said My Safe. Thus, losing said nice, long, typed up chapter. So I had to start again and then it all changed and went in a slightly different direction. **

**BUT! I know it's short! This is not necessarily filler, but it is kind of to let you guys know that, yes, this story is still alive (though slightly comatose) and NO! I will not be abandoning it! So, please enjoy the not-filler-but-still-terribly-short-and-possibly-seemingly-pointless chapter!**

**Also, I own nothing except a very blockage-prone imagination and piece-if-shit computer. ^-^**

For a moment, there was silence while Severus contemplated the two teenagers in front of him. He hadn't expected this to go quite so smoothly. Well, he'd kind of expected Hermione to accept the story quietly, mulling it over in her head, as he could see she was doing. He hadn't, however, expected the same look of troubled consideration on Ron's.

Sighing, he raised his eyebrows slightly. He had been prepared to reply with a scathing remark to the young man's plea. Obviously, if he'd had no intention of helping them, he wouldn't have told them all of that. Indeed, one would think he'd have turned them in. But, no. He knew that, in asking for his help, Ron was, in fact, _accepting_ it.

"What you two need to do right now, is rest." he replied evenly, eyeing the exhaustion that had their faces drawn and eyes dull. "Until I get more information, there is nothing the two of you can do." Ron began to protest but Hermione shot him a warning look. Severus suppressed the urge to smirk. _So _like Lily and James.

A sudden burning gripped his left forearm and he grunted softly as he clutched it. Two pairs of eyes turned to him, one alarmed, the other slightly suspicious.

"My presence is currently required elsewhere." he informed them, releasing his arm and standing. "I shall escort you back to the Room of Requirement."Ron and Hermione stood and exited his office. Silently, they made their way back through the corridors, Snape sweeping along in front of them. Suddenly, he was their intimidating Potions master again.

Hermione glanced at Ron and saw that he was a note to ask about it when they were alone again, she turned her eyes frontward again, allowing them to rest on the man ahead. She was still trying to process all that he'd told her.

She suddenly felt very foolish, to be so surprised at the scope of his grief and regret. Obviously, he had feelings and to think otherwise was ignorant and rude. Hermione felt a humiliated flush colouring her cheeks. Her parents raised her better than that.

Finally arriving at the blank stretch of wall, Hermione and Ron stopped as Severus began to pace. _I need somewhere safe for my students._ he thought, walking a few paces before turning.

He thought of them this way for two reasons. One, because regardless of whether the school term was in session or not, they were still children (if barely) and they were currently under his two, because students needed to study. Thinking of them as students would mean that the Room of Requirement would then be equipped with everything a student might need. Something told Severus that Hermione had not had time to grab her numerous books before they had fled for their lives.

Looking up, he saw that the door had materialised in the stone. Stopping, he turned to them.

"Do not, for any reason, leave this room." he ordered, the tone in his voice leaving no room for argument. "When I find out more information, I will contact you. Until then, do what you can."After receiving nods, he waited until the pair had closed the door and the wood had melded back into the stone. Wincing again as the burning returned, stronger than before, he turned and made to leave.

"Sir?" he heard Hermione's tentative call. Scowling, he turned. "What did I just say, Miss Granger?" he snapped, glaring at the dropped her gaze to her toes. "I-I just wanted to say thank you. For helping us." she murmured, glancing back up at the stern Potions master. "And…I'm sorry."Severus stared at her, slightly shocked. He didn't need to ask what she was apologising for. He could see it, plain as day, on her face.

He allowed his lips to twitch into an approximation of a smile before nodding curtly.

"Shut the door." he replied, waiting until she complied before he turned and strode down the corridors and staircases to the Entrance Hall.

Here, a person waited in the shadows.

"I thought they'd killed you." came a smooth voice. Severus smirked as Lucius stepped into the flickering torchlight.

"I'm glad you think so much of my duelling abilities." Severus replied sarcastically. Nodding to the huge front doors, he turned and walked down the front steps.

Lucius followed."So, it all went according to plan?" he asked, a slight note of anxiety in his voice, as they strode across the rolling lawns of Hogwarts towards Hogsmeade.

"Yes. Gryffindors are terribly trusting." Severus replied, more amusement than disgust in his tone, though only slightly.

Lucius let out a slight chuckle. "Indeed. Although, it may be more to do with age than house." he replied quietly. Severus glanced at the blonde man. His eyes quickly took in the shadows beneath his eyes and the slight stubble shading his jaw.

Noticing the other man's scrutiny, Lucius raised his head and cleared his throat. "So, what did you have to do to have them spare you?" he asked, a mocking tone now present. Severus shook his head at his companion's attempt at levity.

"Something I haven't done for a long time." he replied, stopping as they passed through the large wrought iron gates.

"I told the truth."

**Ok, so what did you think? I KNOW! It's really short but I had to give you something. It's been, like, 20 years since I updated. I am really sorry! LoL, did y'all think that he'd tricked them? Hehe, I did. Ahem, not that I got caught by my own attempt at deception… Anyway, please R&R! I love all of you! XOXO**


	32. Chapter 32

**Woo! Another one! Possibly shithouse, too! Yay! Thankyou to all of those who reviewed! All, what 5 of you? Ah, well, better than none, ey? Anyway, Jen, I hope you enjoy the fluffiness! -.^**

Once the door closed behind her, Hermione turned and was shocked to find Ron standing less than a foot away. Before she knew what was happening, his arms were around her and she was crushed against his chest again. "I'm so sorry, Hermione!" he moaned, one hand buried in her hair. "I wanted to get you some food and I know I should've told you I was going but I didn't want to wake you!"

Hermione smiled and returned his embrace. "It's okay, Ron." Her reply was muffled by his chest and she pressed lightly against him to get him to loosen his hold. "Just don't do it again?" she continued with a smirked and he nodded.

Suddenly, he remembered her ribs. Releasing her with a start, he winced. "Sorry, I forgot about your ribs!"Hermione shook her head. "They're fine. Snape healed them." she replied, smiling reassuringly.

Ron felt a stab of something in his chest. How had he healed them? Had he had to touch her? The unnamed feeling stabbed at him again. "Oh." he replied, disgruntled.

He was disturbed to realise that the feeling was jealousy. He was _jealous _of _Snape_!

Hermione caught the change in his demeanour. "Don't sound so relieved." she murmured sardonically, turning away from him.

"I am relieved, Hermione." he shot back, frowning. "I just don't like the idea of a Death Eater touching you. Surely, you can't blame me." He instantly regretted his words when he saw her shudder.

Hermione saw his face fall and shook her head. "Forget it." she said, trying to sound flippant. "The point is I'm okay. Snape's good, remember?"

Ron fought the urge to argue and simply settled for a slight nod before turning and looking around the room. Whatever Snape had thought of when summoning the Room had caused it to reappear as something more akin to a common room.

There were now _two _beds (Ron blushed slightly as he noticed this. _What did Snape think we were doing?_), a large desk, a couch in front of the merrily crackling fire and two large bookcases filled to capacity with thick, dusty volumes. He glanced at Hermione and saw her eyes light up at the sight of the books. Rolling his eyes, he chuckled as she ran over and began running her fingers over the spines, her brow furrowed with concentration.

Shaking his head, Ron walked over to join her. He was unpleasantly surprised when she began to pull out the old and, apparently, _heavy _books and piling them into his arms.

"We have to get started." Hermione stated, all business now. Dragging him over to the desk, she beamed with delight when she saw the large pile of spare parchment, quills and inkpots. She was in her element now.

"Hermione, we need to rest first!" Ron groaned, setting the books down, perhaps slightly harder than was necessary. Hermione ignored him, already seated and leafing through one particularly thick tome.

Sighing exasperatedly, Ron flopped into the chair opposite her and grudgingly pulled a book towards him. They remained like this for a few hours until Ron found himself struggling to stay awake. Yawning and stretching, he looked across at Hermione and allowed himself a grin.

She was sitting with her head propped on her hand, her red eyes wandering lazily over the page, her eyelids drooping. He watched as she forced them open, each time taking more and more effort. "Hermione, come on." he said softly, getting to his feet. "Bedtime."

Hermione sat up slightly straighter and shook her head, blinking furiously. "No, I'm not tired." she replied, trying to inject as much alertness into her voice as she could. Ron sighed.

"Yes, you are." he answered back. "You can barely keep your eyes open!" Walking around the table, he grasped her upper arm and tried to pull her to her feet.

"Ron!" she snapped, unsuccessfully trying to pull her arm free. "Honestly, I'm fine. If you tired, you go to bed but I'm staying here!"Ron stopped and stared at her for a moment.

"Don't make me make you, Hermione." Hermione rolled her eyes and attempted to continue reading.

"I'd like to see you try." she replied haughtily, turning the page and rubbing her eyes. Ron stood still for a moment. Just a moment.

With a shrug, he gripped her arm and pulled harder, successfully unseating her. Hermione let out an indignant huff and again tried to free her arm.

Before she knew what had happened, she was over Ron's shoulder, his arms wrapped around the back of her knees. With a squeak of surprise, she locked her arms around his waist. "Ron!" she cried, feeling the blood rush to her face, both from the gravity and from embarrassment. Ron ignored her and, in three long strides, had arrived at the beds.

He wondered for a moment when he'd become so bold. Shaking the thought away, he bent forward slightly and tipped Hermione over his shoulder to land unceremoniously on the bed. "Who says chivalry is dead?" He puffed out his chest and shot her a self-satisfied grin before he walked over to his own bed.

"Yes, you're a perfect gentleman." she remarked sarcastically, scowling at him furiously. The blush on her cheeks, however, slightly negated the effect.

Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed. He was right. She _did _need sleep. Kicking off her shoes, Hermione looked down at what she was wearing. The same jeans and jacket that she'd been wearing since they left the Burrow. Glancing at the end of her bed, she noticed a pair of pyjamas folded neatly on top of the covers. Almost moaning in relief, she reached over and grabbed them before looking around for somewhere to change.

"Don't worry." Ron's voiced startled her and she turned to look at him, confused. "I won't look." He lay back on his bed and pulled the pillow over his face.

Hermione hurriedly got changed, not taking her eyes off him, making sure he didn't. Once she was changed, she climbed into her bed with a sigh. Ron was right. She _was _tired. The bed was heaven. Soft, warm and comforting.

"Okay, I'm done." she told Ron snuggling into her pillow. Ron uncovered his face and stood, grabbing the pyjamas that had appeared at the foot of his own bed. "Don't worry," she smirked, covering her eyes. "I won't look." She heard Ron release a breathy laugh and start to get changed.

Suddenly, it became immensely difficult to keep her hand where it was. _Just a peek?_

Ever-so-slightly, Hermione allowed her forefinger and middle finger to part and almost instantly regretted it. Ron was turned, facing his bed and Hermione had to suppress a shuddering sigh as she let her eyes roam over his back. She watched appreciatively as the muscles in his back moved beneath his skin as he lifted his shirt over his head.

She could feel a blush rising in her cheeks and she found herself praying that he'd turn around, regardless of the risk of getting caught ogling him.

Almost as though someone had heard her wish, he turned as he was pulling his pyjama shirt on and Hermione was glad that he'd somehow got his head stuck. It gave her time to close her mouth, which had dropped open involuntarily. Before, when Ron had been hurt, she'd had a chance to see him in just a wife beater which, while covering him still, gave her an idea of what lay beneath.

Without the wife beater was so much better.

She'd never thought that Quidditch was a terribly strenuous sport and so was shocked almost into a stupor. A well-defined chest stared back at her. Below, a strong, taut stomach, just the barest hint of hard abdominal muscles showing through the skin, tapering down into a prominent 'v' that disappeared into the waistband of his pyjama bottoms.

Nothing about him was the skinny, gangly boy she'd grown up with. He was, by no stretch of the imagination, fat or even a little chubby. Just built. Solid. Hermione sighed slightly when she realised that it was no surprise that she felt so safe when he held her. Ron finally managed to get his head out of his shirt and Hermione quickly slipped her fingers closed again, praying he hadn't seen. When Ron gave the word that he was done, Hermione took her hand away from her face.

"Took you long enough." she chided, trying to beat back the blush that she knew was still burning on her cheeks.

"Well, like you said, I'm a gentleman." At Hermione's confused look he continued. "I didn't want to cut your viewing short, did I?" Ron replied with a cocky grin, settling into his own bed. Hermione's mouth fell open in horror for a moment before she could even think of a response. _Damn it!_ She scoffed, though it lacked any conviction.

"Ever the optimist." she replied, glad that her voice at least _sounded_ steady. Ron shrugged and rolled onto his back, his hands under his head.

"It's why you love me." There was a moment of awkward silence as his words hung heavy in the air. He hadn't meant to say it. It was a smartass reply and it just popped out. Since the revelation of their feelings, they hadn't really had a chance to dwell or elaborate on them. He could feel his cheeks heat up. He really didn't mean to say it.

And now they were awkward.

Great.

Clearing his throat, he decided to try to play it of as nothing. "Goodnight, Hermione." he said, wincing. If he injected as much drugs into his arm as he had false cheeriness into his voice, he'd have been dead in less than a second . He closed his eyes and prayed that sleep would come quickly. Hermione murmured a spell to douse all the light except for the fire.

"Goodnight, Ron." she replied, rolling onto her side. What he'd said, while true, had made her supremely uncomfortable. Obviously, she'd made her feelings clear, as had he. But when she'd murmured it sleepily their first night in the Room, she had been exhausted.

What if he thought she hadn't meant it? What if he thought she had just been replying to what he'd said with what she thought she had to say? Or was saying it just because she was too tired to think of anything else and so just replied with that by default?

She lay there for a moment more before she propped herself up on one arm and stared at his bed, barely visible in the near-darkness that now filled the room. "I do, you know." she said softly, fiddling with her fingernails. She saw Ron's head come up off his arms and could barely make out a look of confusion on his face. "Love you, I mean." she finished, biting her lip and looking down at her hands.

Ron studied her for a second before smiling slightly. "I know." he replied. He liked the sound of it coming from her lips. "And you know _I _do, right?"Hermione smiled her own smile.

"Yeah." she answered, looking back up at him. Laying back down, she pulled the doona up over her shoulder and tucked her hands under her pillow, not quite able to rid herself of the smile that was becoming a full-blown grin. She felt giddy and now she couldn't sleep.

She lay there for a while, listening to Ron breathing softly, going over everything that had happened to them lately. She couldn't quite believe that over less than a week, they had escaped Death Eaters numerous times, snuck into Hogwarts, discovered that their feelings were reciprocated and had enlisted the help of Severus Snape.

Her thoughts were drawn back to the shop in Hogsmeade. She'd done a good job not thinking about it. Since her chat to Snape, she'd had other things to occupy her. But now, again, they were safe for the time being and she had time to remember little details that she wasn't even aware of. Just how hard the Death Eater had hit her. How bad he'd smelled. How scared she'd been. How painfully her heart had clenched when she thought Ron had died.

She stopped her thoughts right there. Taking a deep breath and holding it, she listened, over the crackling of the dying fire, for sound of Ron's soft snores. _He's asleep and very much alive. _her mind told her soothingly.

Wiping away the few tears that she hadn't realised she had cried, she bit her lip. Carefully, she pushed her doona back and swung her legs over the side of her bed. "Ron?" she whispered tentatively. There was no change in his breathing.

"Ron?" she repeated, a little louder. Nothing. He was dead to the world. Sighing softly, Hermione stood and tiptoed over to his bed. Brushing her hair away from her face and resting her hand on her neck, she leant over him. He frowned slightly and shifted in his sleep.

Biting her lip a little harder, Hermione took a fortifying breath and, slowly and carefully, pulled back his doona. Quickly, she sat next to him, swinging her legs up and pulling the doona back down a little, she rested her head on the pillow beside his and watched him for a moment, before hesitantly resting her hand on his chest. He mumbled something unintelligible and his eyes flickered open.

She looked at him apologetically before she realised that he was still half asleep. With a sleepy moan, he rolled over to face her, his eyes closing again even as he grabbed her hand and pulled her closer, wrapping his other arm around her back. Smiling, Hermione snuggled into his chest. Ron mumbled again and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

She was asleep in seconds.

**Nawwwww! I'd love to fall asleep curled up to Ron…or Rupert…either one, really! And yes, I know. It was short. But longer than the last one! Yay!…right? Anyway, R&R PLEEEEASE! I cannot tell you how much I wish you ALL reviewed! It makes me super happy and lets me know that people are still reading this. Although, I know I can't be forgiven for the hugetastic delay! Much love! XOXO**

P.S. For all of you who aren't Amazing...oops! I mean Australian (Freudian slip! ^-^) a doona is a, uh, 'duvet'. Ahem...I'm not sure what they're called in other countries but here, they're doonas. I think I might have called it something else in another chapter, or just avoided naming them anything, but I can't be assed now. Anyway! R&R! 


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